TheCable

Kashim Shettima, senator representing Borno central, says the people of the state love President Muhammadu Buhari “passionately”.

He said this a day after Buhari was booed by some residents when he paid a condolence visit to the state over an attack which led to the killing of 30 persons.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Shettima, a former governor of the state, described the incident as unfortunate.

The senator said it could be that peoples expectations “were over exaggerated”, adding that many thought Buhari had a “magic wand.”

“The people of Borno love Buhari, maybe their expectations were over exaggerated. People thought he had a magic wand, he doesn’t have one, I believe it is a temporary hiccup,” he said.

“The people of Borno, the people of the north-east still passionately love Buhari. Without the cooperation of the people of Borno, the Civilian JTF could not have come into being.

“The people and the government of Borno are fully behind the President, are fully in support of our security establishment who have lost lives while serving the nation.”

Shettima said Buhari did blame the continuous attacks on the insurgents.

“He might have made a general statement on the need for people to align themselves with the aspiration for restoring peace in the north-east but I doubt if the President blamed the people of Borno,” he said.

“I heard him pouring encomiums on my leader and boss, the governor of Borno state, who is adjudged as the best performing governor in West Africa.”