The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, has disclosed that 48 traditional rulers have been killed by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno Emirate.

El-Kanemi made the disclosure on Sunday in Maiduguri, when the Managing Director of North East Development Commission, Mohammed Alkali, visited him at his palace.

He said the killed traditional rulers include over a dozen of his relations from various districts of the emirate.

He also spoke about the continued border attacks, saying that “Our people are subjected to many attacks, as some people from Niger, Chad and Cameroon sneak into Borno to kill and return to their respective countries. They are being arrested by the police and other security agencies.”

The North East Governors’ Forum has expressed worries over a new dimension of banditry in the sub-region, urging the military to eliminate the terrorists that fail to surrender.

NEGF Chairman and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State made the call at the forum’s 8th meeting in Maiduguri, at the weekend. He said, “Let me use this auspicious occasion to commend our brave military in the fight against insurgency.

“I call on the military to go into the enclaves of the insurgents, who are not ready to lay down their arms. We must pursue them to their hideouts in every nook and cranny and neutralise those who refuse to surrender.”

Zulum alleged that some monarchs and local authorities were conniving with the bandits, giving them cover to commit crimes.

The Governors vowed to deal decisively with any traditional ruler or community leader that is found harbouring or conspiring with bandits.

The NEGF governors cried out in a 10-point communiqué after their meeting in Maiduguri, at the weekend.

Led by Zulum, they lamented that climate change and environmental degradation have continued to compound silting of major rivers in the region, as well as deforestation.

“Deforestation of our forests is caused by the massive charcoal business in the six states affected by Boko Haram terrorism for over a decade,” 

“We resolved to key into the Global Initiative of Carbon Credit, the Great Green Wall (GGW) project and other initiatives that will mitigate the divesting impact of climate change in the region,” he said.

The forum, therefore, called on the Federal Government to urgently address the issue of insecurity in the region.