He was reading the budget speech for 2013 in December 2012 before the State House of Assembly. There was applause from both the legislators and the men at the public gallery as he rolled out the achievements of his administration in the out-going year and in the previous one.
However, all of a sudden, his voice started going down slowly and before the shout of Jack Robinson, tears rolled down the cheeks of Governor Kashim Shettima, to the utter wonderment of all. He, however, got himself back and continued the reading of his budget speech. All these happened within a few minutes, but no one could comprehend anything but could only guess. Then I asked a colleague of mine on the occasion as to what he thought could be responsible for the governor’s tears. His reply was no better than others’. The budget session closed with many in wonderment and possibly, confusion.
Cashing in on the public acceptance of the Civilian Joint Task Force and its impacts in the fight against insurgency, the state government moved with the speed of a meteor to streamline the functions of the body by giving incentives to its members
It was a year later in 2013, while presenting the 2014 budget estimates before the same state House of Assembly that Governor Shettima unveiled the prompting of his tears before the hallowed chamber in 2012. Hear him: “Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, my visit to this hallowed chamber today is at variance with my visit at about this time, 2012. When I was here in 2012, Mr. Speaker, I must confess, that I was a very distressed governor who only held on to the stubborn strength of hope. Perhaps, that was the reason for my emotional disposition. I was full of aspirations and wishes, yet my sprit was very low.
“Though I persistently believed it was coming to pass, I wondered when Borno State would begin to witness real and sustained peace; I wondered how and when insurgents would move out of our communities and let us be. While I was here in 2012, I wondered when Maiduguri, the capital, the worst affected and the heart of our dear state, would overcome the security challenges that were very well within and around us; I was a critically traumatised governor when I came here in 2012. I was very unhappy, even though I was full of hope and anticipation for the future of Borno State.
“Mr. Speaker, honourable members, unlike in 2012 when I solely relied on hope, today, I have inside me what is far beyond hope. I have a guarantee, a firm assurance created for all of us, by a brave, patriotic, confident, committed and tough youth population who have defied fears and threats and risen up in defence of our land. I am not yet a happy governor because of pockets of challenges we are still battling with, not unlike when I was here in 2012, when Borno’s future seemed more uncertain. Today, we have collectively as a people, by one form of contribution or the other, reclaimed our land and we are on the very sure way of making the entire Borno peaceful and great again.”
Honestly, the sudden emergence of the youths from nowhere to confront the daredevils was indeed a marvel. They ventured into the scene when there was deepened distrust between the military and the civil populace, with each side suspecting the other. And when the crusading youths unexpectedly broke the ice, the Muslims, the Christians and even the traditionalists who along have been praying for miracle or God’s intervention in the seemingly hopeless situation, were unequivocal that this was the handiwork of God, the Almighty, who has thrown spanners into the wheel of ‘progress’ in the enemy’s camp, thereby causing confusion among them.
Cashing in on the public acceptance of the Civilian Joint Task Force and its impacts in the fight against insurgency, the state government moved with the speed of a meteor to streamline the functions of the body by giving incentives to its members. The government initiated, through the military, some basic training for the ‘boys’, designating them as vigilantes, assisting the security agencies. While in training, members were each paid N10, 000. After the training, they were given a monthly stipend of N20, 000 each. The state government planned to train under its first phase scheme, 20,000 members.
It is, indeed, worthy of note that with the onslaught of the youth on members of Boko Haram, the sect members fled en masse into the bush and ever since, the bush remains their habitat as they operate from the jungles into the cities and urban centres and dash back to the bush. This has been the pattern for some years now. Thanks to ‘Borno soldiers of the Cross’, otherwise known as the CJTF.
According to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, the youth vanguards have been of tremendous assistance to the military, as they act as scouts, informants and in some instances, take the lead in locating the enemy’s territory.
The success recorded in the ongoing military operation against the insurgency certainly had the input of the ‘boys’ who are ready to lay down their lives for the survival of Borno in particular and the nation at large. No doubt, these soldiers of the Cross have recorded heavy casualties, yet they remain undaunted.
Prompted by the huge success of the Vanguards, the Borno State Government on May 26, 2018, inducted a total of 2,900 youth volunteer force as members of a newly created Neighbourhood Watch, whose roles include apprehending drug abusers and perpetrators of other related crimes. The Neighbourhood Watch (N-Watch) is a replica of the CJTF that came into force in 2013 as a volunteer group helping the military to combat Boko Haram.
Governor Shettima said the N-watch will also complement the existing synergy between the CJTF and the military in guarding communities against infiltration of Boko Haram and in combating other societal vices. Governor Shettima, who spoke during the launching of the new security outfit, said the 2,900 youths would be deployed in the 27 wards within the two local government areas of Maiduguri and Jere.
The governor said the formation of N-Watch is part of his community policing initiatives which he said had yielded positive result in the past. “The current set of Neighbourhood Watchers are backed by the law and we will deploy them to their immediate neighbourhoods to safeguard lives and properties and also ensure that the issues of drugs abuse are addressed frontally.”
This exercise is expected to be replicated in the 27 local government areas of the state, more so as the onward home journey of the Internally Displaced Persons in the state has commenced in earnest.
One gratifying move by the state government is the assurance not to let go unrewarded the sacrifice of the youths involved. For example, while some of them are being recruited into the military, plans are on, to ensure that at the end of the insurgency, while some will be retained, some would be deployed in other places while the rest who wish to further their education or business would be assisted.
Civilian-JTF and N-Watch may be an enduring legacy of the Shettima administration.
*Izekor, a journalist, public affairs analyst, is a member of the Board of Advisers of
The Point.
