Boko Haram still killing people in Borno —Ndume

 

Boko Haram members
| credits: File copy

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has lamented the continued killings of citizens by the terrorists group in the state, in spite of the proclamation of a state of emergency in the state.

Ndume, who spoke to Senate correspondents on Monday, acknowledged that the armed forces were doing their best, but certainly could not be in every part of the emergency area.

He however appealed to all Nigerians to rally round the Federal Government to fight the terrorists in order to restore peace to the area.

He said, “The group still razed the primary school I attended in Gashua town over the weekend and shot dead a Reverend friend of mine. nThis is in spite of the state of emergency in the state.

“The problem of Boko Haram needs to be taken more seriously by all Nigerians because it is not the issue of Borno alone. There is no price that is too much for peace.”

On his relationship with the sect, Ndume said, “I’ve been convicted by the press, but I won’t comment further for fear of subjudice.”

He also blamed the media for the problems bedeviling the nation following sensational reporting.

He said, “The last 14 years of democracy in Nigeria has recorded very little dividends for the citizenry at all levels due to failure of governance in the land caused by series of factors, one of which is the subjective press that thrive on one-sided cum fictitious story reporting.

“For Nigeria to have concrete things on the ground to celebrate for practising democracy within the next two years, precisely by 2015, there must be change of altitude by the press in the mode of actually been the watch dog of the society, reporting things as they are, without any coloration.”

He also noted that his current ordeal over alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram was compounded by sensational reportage of the issue by the media.

He added that media reports had  indicted him even before he was arraigned in the court of law.