'Terrorists killed over 100 of my Chiefs' - Borno monarch

dimeji akinloye

October 11, 2016 7:12 AM

The Shehu said the people of Borno would find it difficult to accept the repentant members of Boko Haram back in their communities.

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Umaru Ibn Garbai Elkanemi

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji

He said he lost the chiefs within the seven years of the terrorists' activities, adding that it will be a huge task for the Borno people to accept the repentant members of the group back in their communities.

The Shehu stated this in Maiduguri on Monday, October 11, when the delegation of African Region Centre For Humanitarian Dialogue ( CMD), led by its director, Ms Meridith Preston Mcghie paid a visit to his palace.

"How can you unite with people that destroyed your homes, killed and displaced you? We have suffered a lot. I lost more than 100 local chiefs under my kingdoms. I was attacked by suicide bomber, thousands of women became widows and children orphans. I think, to unite people with repentant insurgents is a big task,” he told the delegation.

The monarch asked for the organisation's help in uniting the people as it did with two inter-communal dialogue in Plateau and Kaduna states.

"We need your assistance to reunite our people again, we as well know what you did in Kaduna and Plateau to solve inter- communal crisis. We will give you all the support to succeed," he said.

In response, the director of the dialogue team, Ms Mcghie said the organisation will do all it can to ensure things do not spiral out of control.

"The delegation will ensure proper communication so that things do not go out of control, emotions don’t get so high, the centre will adopt different channels of dialogue which will be a gradual process and usually takes longer period of time before peace is achieved in a crisis environment," she said.

ALSO READ: Troops nab suspected Boko Haram member in Borno

The African Region Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue CHD is an independent international organisation with the mandate of providing support, directly facilitate peace process, initiate dialogue between conflicting parties.

dimeji akinloye