Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno on Friday in Maiduguri enjoined Nigerians to pray for troops, volunteers of the Civilian Joint Task Force, the displaced and refugees of insurgency as they celebrate Christmas.

“While wishing everyone a peaceful, joyful and blessed Christmas, I urge all of us to reflect on how security forces, local hunters and vigilantes are marking Christmas in bushes, hunting Boko Haram and also being hunted by the insurgents

“Let us also reflect on how families of these forces and volunteers are celebrating without their bread winners,’’ the governor said in his Christmas message.

He also enjoined Nigerians to reflect over how thousands of yet-to-be-resettled internally displaced persons and fellow Nigerians taking refuge in foreign countries are also celebrating Christmas, queuing up for food in host communities.

“Reflecting on the conditions of fellow citizens will arouse our consciousness to rededicate ourselves to ceaselessly pray for peace and to support the fight against insurgents through generating relevant information for security agents,’’ he said.

Zulum also called on security agents to remain committed to their duties and uphold their solemn pledge to safeguard lives and property of citizens, promising them sustained encouragement.

“We will continue to accord far reaching support to security forces, especially those who have shown their dedication and gallantry.

“We will commend and reward, and where there is the need to raise voices of concern, we will do so on behalf of our citizens whom we have sworn to protect.

“I believe in the carrot-and-stick approach and this is based on my personal principles and my training in the academia. Critical thinking is the foundation of academics and in this, the philosophy is to look at the opposite side of every case study.

“From the academic point of view, there is never one side to any case under study and this is why I commend, I reward, and I also criticise. I take every issue on its own merit and I do so with the best of intentions and without fear or favour, affection or ill will,’’ Gov. Zulum said. (NAN)