The North-East Governors’ Forum is currently holding a closed-door meeting in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.
The meeting, which is the Forum’s sixth, is being led by the Chairman of the North-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, and hosted by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
In attendance is Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya while governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, and Taraba are being represented by their deputies.
At the ceremonial opening of the meeting, held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Governor Zulum gave an overview of the Forum’s activities and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring peace and stability of the geo-political zone.
The Chairman noted that recent developments in the fight against terrorism have indicated the beginning of the end to the insurgency in the region.
He, however, called on the military to intensify operations to free the zone of terror.
“I want to call on the Nigerian military to reach into the enclaves of the insurgents (who are not ready to lay down their arms), we must pursue them. For us to get rid of this crisis, we have to ensure that the remnants of the insurgents are pursued to their enclaves and neutralized,” Zulum said.
He said for the overall growth of the six states in the region to be without impediments, Boko Haram has to be brought to an end.
On his part, Governor Buni spoke on the security situation, the military’s progress and the need for all stakeholders to sustain their collaboration in the fight against insurgents.
This is as he affirmed his commitment to the objectives of the Forum while listing some gains being recorded by his administration, promising to continue in that direction in line with the vision of the Forum.
The closed-door meeting is expected to hold discussions on security, power, and interventions by the North-East Development Commission.
A communique with some resolutions is expected later tonight at the end of the meeting.
