Shettima vows to disown disloyal caretaker chairmen

Governor Kashim Shettima has vowed to disown any of the newly sworn in caretaker chairmen of the 27 local government areas of the state that dared to bring shame to the Borno State government.

The governor’s warning was based on the recent arrest of the caretaker chairman of Mafa Local Government Area and vice chairmen of two local governments by the military over alleged connection with the Boko Haram insurgents.

Speaking at the swearing-in of the new caretaker chairmen at the Government House in Maiduguri yesterday, Shettima also said any of the chairmen that was not ready to relocate from Maiduguri to his local government area was free to reject his appointment so that he could be replaced.

“Let me say it very loud and very clear that any caretaker chairman who dares to bring shame to this administration will be entirely on his own. The Borno State government will not only disown such a person but we will in fact take legal steps towards making such a person unfit to hold any public office associated with Borno State.

“I always recognize the fact that over 90 per cent of the people of Borno State are vehemently opposed to the activities of Boko Haram. There is no better evidence that the manner in which thousands of parents have donated their youthful sons and daughters to fighting Boko Haram with many of them paying the supreme price.

“Whoever shows any form of support or empathy for Boko Haram insurgents is an enemy of Borno people and an enemy of humanity. You must in all your conducts do nothing to suggest that you treat matters affecting the insurgency and other forms of insecurity with any basis of suspicion or levity,” the governor told the new chairmen.

The commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Usman Zannah, said the 27 caretaker chairmen were appointed after thorough assessment of their backgrounds, competence and loyalty to the administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC).