Shettima seeks media blackout on Boko Haram

                                     Governor Kashim Shettima

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has called on journalists to give a blackout to all dialogue and reconciliation initiatives being explored by the government to bring an end to the ongoing Boko Haram conflict.

He explained that giving undue publicity to every step his government is taking to bringing the deadly members of Boko Haram to the dialogue table will only frustrate the much coveted peace process.

In a statement issued at the weekend, by his Adviser on Communications, Isa Umar Gusau, Shettima said reporting such processes will be tantamount to ‘sabotage’.

He said, “I urge members of the media to kindly ignore and not report efforts being made by any stakeholder towards achieving dialogue so as not to sabotage the process.

“I believe the media has a responsibility to inform members of the public by searching for credible information and reporting it. The media will not be doing anything illegal by reporting efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis if for any anything, it has the responsibility to probe happenings in our national lives but as they say, necessity can alter routines, and in this case, I appeal to the media not to report whatever efforts being made so that we can succeed and make our society safer for all of us.”

He noted that the media has been a very big contributor to the Nigerian project adding that for the government and people of Borno, the media remains an important stakeholder that is so much appreciated and cherished.

Shettima equally urged citizens to sustain their prayers for the restoration of peace in Nigeria, even as he implored Borno people to regard themselves as “change-agents that will devote time for the good of our society.”

According to him, “Borno is our home, we have no other place to call ours and as such, we have a responsibility to make personal sacrifices through lawful means especially through faithful prayers, to make our home better for all of us

“As I have consistently maintained, genuine dialogue remains the best option in resolving this crisis and we are assiduously exploring all options to achieve peaceful resolution,” Shettima enthused.