President's visit saves Borno from near extinction - Shehu

Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, said on Saturday that the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerian President, had saved Borno from extinction.

Garbai stated this when he received the new Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, in his palace in Maiduguri.

He said that but for the election of Buhari in May 2015 and his dogged determination in fighting the insurgents, the story would have been different today.

"We wish to express our gratitude to the president for his concern for us here.

"But for his coming, Borno would have been nowhere by now due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

“Before he came in, our airport was closed for two years; we had no electricity for nearly two years and the only highway out of Maiduguri was the Maiduguri to Kano road.

"But immediately he came in, the first thing he did was to transfer the Military High Command from Abuja to Maiduguri.

"Then he followed this by appointing capable persons to head the Armed Forces, including our sons and daughters,'' Garbai said.

He also commended the military, the police and all security agencies, for their efforts in ensuring the return of peace to the state and the North East in general.

Garbai congratulated the IGP on his appointment and thanked him for the visit.

"I want to express my gratitude to you for visiting to me, which is a clear testimony of your respect for the traditional institution; I am highly honored by the visit,'' he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Idris had told the monarch that he was in the palace to pay homage as part of his visit to the state.