By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has commended the President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of service chiefs, particularly with three of the newly appointees either from the state or familiar with it.

The governor expressed the opinion that their knowledge of the North east will be crucial in ending insurgency, and that “the fight to overcome insurgents is now or never.”

The new National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and the new Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a major general, are both indigenes of troubled Borno, while the new Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, an air vice marshall, though from Bauchi State, spent a long time serving in the state.

“Yesterday was the happiest moment of my life. President Muhammadu Buhari made a strong statement by his decision to appoint two highly competent sons of Borno to the offices of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Army Staff. I think his strategy was to get people with ancestral knowledge of the Borno terrain. Major General Tukur Buratai is even a direct victim of Boko Haram attacks,” Shettima said, adding that their appointment was a case of putting square pegs in square holes.

The governor expressed optimism that the war on terror will soon be over, as the president is determined to bring the insurgency to an end.

The governor also charged the T.Y Danjuma-led Victims Support Fund, VSF, to make meaningful contribution in the efforts to rebuild the ravaged towns in the state.

The executive director of Nigerian Foundation for the Support of Victims of Terrorism, NFSVT, Sunday Ochoche, said though their focus is the economic empowerment of women and the education of children, the Foundation will ensure that its mandate is fully implemented in the state and other troubled north eastern states.

“We will be here in Borno state and other states affected by insurgency in the medium and long-run in rebuilding all the destroyed towns and villages, so that the over two million displaced persons return to their respective communities. But the committee’s main focus on economic empowerment of women and the education of children, who had never been in schools since May 16, 2014,” Ochoche told the governor.

According to Ochoche, the VSF’s major problem is the non-redemption of pledges made by Nigerians, with only N20 billion realised from a target of N50 billion.