The Patriotic Elders Council (PEC) has charged fellow elders from north-east Nigeria to lead the call for Boko Haram members to surrender.

In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Simon Shango and made available to newsmen on Monday, the PEC challenged leaders and stakeholders from the region to rise up against the insurgents.

The PEC’s call follows the recent attack on the convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum.

According to the group, some leaders in the Northeast and members of the communities where resurgent insurgency rages have overtime failed to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Military in fighting insurgency.

It noted that synergy between the Military in warfare and traditional or political leadership is crucial in ending the war against insurgents.

The call was made three days after a suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) – a violent extremist faction which split from Boko Haram – attack on the Borno State governor’s convoy in which at least 30 people were killed. This is the second attack on his convoy in less than two months.

The attack which was described as sabotage by the governor in the war against the insurgents.

Speaking to Radio Ndarason International today, Ph.D. Sadik Dikwa of the department of Political Science University of Maiduguri said, the attack came when the governor was involved in returning the IDPs to their various communities after years of displacement.

Returning IDPs to their communities is the only solution, Sadik Dikwa said, noting that COVID-19 has had a great impact on the revenue generation of the government which cannot continue feeding the IDPs. He added that resettling them is a right step at a right time. He also cautioned the Borno State government to prioritise the safety of the IDPs while returning them.

The analyst urge the Multi National Joint Task Force to become more offensive to protect lives and properties of the people as the Borno State returning the IDPs to their respective communities in the shore of the Lake Chad.

Shugaba Ari Cross Kwawwa is an IDP from Baga town in Lake Chad province who was displaced twice by the Islamic State of West African State (ISWAP). He described the attack as very unfortunate, calling on government to think twice before putting IDPs’ lives in danger.

Another IDP, Inna Dala said she is ready to go back home despite the attacks on the governor’s convoy, noting that life these days become tough for IDPs due to COVID-19 pandemic.

On it part, the Federal Government of Nigeria has condemned the attack, described the attack as sabotage by the insurgents to halt the government’s efforts to return IDPs.

The governor while interacting with newsmen said that returning IDPs to their communities has become paramount and government will never relent from its effort to restore peace and stability in the Lake Chad region.