The Borno State Government has reconstructed 45 Christian worship centres destroyed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, Governor Babagana Zulum announced Tuesday, asserting that the decade-long insurgency is fundamentally non-religious.
Speaking at a high-level consultative meeting with the leadership of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state capital, Maiduguri, Governor Zulum maintained that the conflict was an indiscriminate assault on all citizens.
He specifically challenged narratives that frame the violence as a religious crisis targeting only Christians, stating that Muslims have suffered the highest casualty rates.
“Religious conflict is alien to us. Boko Haram conflict is not a religious crisis. It is an assault on our civilisation, humanity, and all that we hold dear, irrespective of creed,” Zulum stated to the gathered leaders.
He added a forceful statistical rebuttal to claims of genocide against the Christian population: “The statistics of victimhood are stark and heart-breaking. While every single life lost is regrettable, the data clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of those that suffered death, abduction and displacement are our Muslim brothers and sisters.”
The Governor cited the government’s reconstruction efforts as proof of its inclusive governance and commitment to restoring the social fabric of all affected communities.
“I wish to inform you that, as part of our massive reconstruction programme across the affected local government areas, Borno State Government has reconstructed 45 Christian worship centres that were destroyed during the Boko Haram insurgency,” he confirmed.
Responding to the Governor’s call for unity, the Chairman of CAN in Borno State, Most Rev. John Bogna Bakeni, Auxiliary Bishop of the Maiduguri Catholic Diocese, stressed the need for local solutions.
“Nobody can solve our problem from outside. We are the ones that can solve our problem,” Bishop Bakeni said, urging political leaders to ensure justice and fairness in their actions to foster lasting peace.
