Lake Chad Governors’ Forum: Buni, Fintiri, Zulum Call For Sustained Onslaught Against Insurgents

Governors Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State have commended the efforts of security agencies in the fight against terrorism in the region.

Naija News reported that President Bola Tinubu, who declared open the 5th meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, on Wednesday, urged the governors to prioritize addressing poverty in the region.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President commended the governors for their collaboration in addressing regional security challenges.

According to a statement from Shettima’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the Forum’s meeting hosted by the Yobe State government in Maiduguri, brought together eight Governors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of the Niger, as well as humanitarian organizations, and local and international communities to address pressing security challenges and explore solutions for stability in the Lake Chad region.

Speaking, Governor Buni of Yobe State described the forum as an opportunity for states around the Lake Chad Basin region across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon Republics to discuss and reflect on the journey so far since the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience became operational six years ago.

He said the Forum provided the platform for participants to strengthen contact and collaboration towards ensuring stabilization, recovery, and resilience across the Lake Chad Basin in the months and years ahead.

The Governor of Borno State, Zulum, commended the strategic partners of the forum, saying their contributions have enabled governments of the forum to tackle some of their challenges to strengthen and rebuild the Lake Chad region.

He said the platform was a “rallying point for political cohesion, fostering regional interaction, sustaining the region’s socio-economic development, and regional integration“.

Also, the Governor of Adamawa state, Fintiri, noted that the Basin has passed through the worst environmental moment, leading to the shrinking of Lake Chad

He recalled that “the United Nations Environmental Programme has recently revealed that Lake Chad has shrunk 90% in six years and blamed the situation on climate change, irrigation and construction of dams and population increase.”

Also speaking, Ms. Cynthia Rowe, Development Director for the British High Commission in Nigeria and Representative of the International Support Group, commended the governors of the region and stressed that the region has recorded marked improvement in the face of daunting challenges.

She noted that displaced people have returned to their homes, and hope has been restored, even though the challenges in the Lake Chad Basin remain; poverty, complex crises, and climate change persist.