Borno Governor Accuses Presidency of Insensitivity

Governor Kashim Shettima

The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has accused the presidency of insensitivity to the “sorrowful plight of the Borno People and its government”.

Reacting to the statement made Tuesday made by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, over the governor’s damning verdict of the military in its execution of the war against insurgents in his state, Shettima said the presidency was unfair.

Okupe yesterday had dismissed Shettima’s assessment and reminded the governor that the war against the insurgents was not conventional in nature, insisting that there was ample evidence to show that the Nigerian Armed Forces and security agencies are on top of the situation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

In a statement issued by his media aide last night, Isa Gusau, the governor, who arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, from Gwazo, where he went to address the critical needs of attacked communities, said he had just learnt of the “unfortunate remarks” by Okupe.


“The statement was rather unfair and insensitive to the sorrowful plight of Borno people and its government. It is an irony to realise that while Okupe didn't find it worthy to hold a press briefing in sympathy with the people of Borno and to join in condemning the horrible serial attacks that left nearly 300 innocent citizens killed in February alone, he found it very urgent to try to take advantage of an honest opinion just to show his face on television in the name of doing his job.

“At the end, it is Okupe that would attract ill the feelings of the people towards the presidency and not his targeted prey. First let me say with emphasis that Governor Kashim Shettima has the highest regard for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and appreciates the president's continued efforts in the last tww and half years at tackling the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Governor Shettima equally holds the Nigerian Armed Forces in very high esteem and he has since proved that by his devoted support of them as successive leaders of the forces have differently confirmed.

It said Shettima will certainly not be one of Okupe's tool for showing face on television, advising the president’s media aide to “kindly be reminded that as a public relations officer, part of his job is to interpret situations correctly to the presidency, attract goodwill and create more friends for the presidency and not to create rift.

Culled from Thisday