Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, says he is “fully in charge of the state”, and dismissed a report on the appointment of a governor over some territories by the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP).
Zulum said this on Monday while fielding questions from journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The ISWAP interim council last week in a vital video on social media, had claimed it appointed one Abba Kaka governor of Borno territories.
But Zulum said: “We are yet to validate the authenticity of this report that ISWAP appointed governor in Borno state. So, as the governor of the state, I think it’s not right for me to speak on something that I don’t have full knowledge of,”
“Not investigating. This report is not authentic. You have just seen somebody writing something on social media… I think on Facebook… You’re a journalist, I think we have to prove reports beyond reasonable doubts, before commenting on such reports.
“As far as I’m concerned. I’m the governor of Borno State and I don’t have any information that we have another government in the Nigerian state. Yes. And I’m very much in charge.”
Zulum said he had visited the president to seek his assistance to repatriate the over 200,000 Borno indigenes who fled to Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic as a result of insurgency.
“Now that we have started witnessing gradual return of peace to Borno State, these people that are taking refuge in our neighbouring countries are willing to return home,” he said.
“Borno State government picked a date of 27th of November 2021 for the commencement of the repatriation process, especially to local government areas of Abadam and Guzamala.”
