Don’t lose sight of Boko Haram terrorists as you tackle COVID-19- Borno governor, Zulum tells Christians St easter

Governor Babagana Zulum has appealed to Christians to remain focus and fervent in prayers despite the global focus on COVID-19 and not to loose sight of the 10-year old Boko Haram insurgency that has shaken and  ravaged the very fabric of Borno State and other parts of the country.

This was contained in an Easter message released by Malam Isa Umar Gusau, the special adviser on Media and Strategy to the Borno state Governor, Prof. Zulum on Saturday, and used the occasion to warn, that notwithstanding the global focus on Covid-19 pandemic, Nigeria and the international community must never lose sight of the Boko Haram insurgency, which the governor sees as an older coronavirus, which he labelled as “Covid-2009”.
Hear him, “I warmly felicitate with our Christian brothers and sisters in Borno state and beyond, at easter, which is a season we should recognize and imbibe selfless sacrifices and renew our hopes and convictions.

“While wishing all Christians a happy and memorable easter, I share the pain, that the important easter is being celebrated at a time,Nigeria, like many parts of the world, is battling to contain a pandemic caused by coronavirus disease”.

According to him,the Covid-19, first hit the world in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital city  Hubei province in China, and that,so far nearly 104,000 persons have lost their lives across the world from which Nigeria recorded seven.

The statement indicated that,Borno state government will remain relentless in fighting this dangerous and highly contagious disease through strict preventive and responsive measures.”
And was quick to point out that, “In the midst of the fight against Covid-19, however, there is the risk of stakeholders in Nigeria and the international community, to losefocus on the fight against Boko Haram, which to us in Nigeria, is an older ‘Covid-2009-coronavirus‘”.

Although the Boko Haram, under its initial identity as Taliban, launched its first attack back in October 2003 around Yobe state, the group gained notoriety in July 2009 and since then, no one knows the exact thousands of persons killed by this dangerous ’Covid-2009″
“The Boko Haram is equally contagious through the spread of violent ideologies and links with terror groups around the world. It is also contagious by creating permanent fear and agonies for millions of people. We cannot afford to be distracted. We must be simultaneous and consistent in applying and sustaining tough measures against Covid-19 and ‘Covid-2009″.

And advised them not to be carried away by the “evil mindset of Boko Haram terrorists would expect us to concentrate our efforts on Covid-19, so they can exploit the situation to make Covid-2009 worse than it already is. We must never let this happen” Zulum said.