He said this in Abuja in an interview during the national youth peace concert organised by the first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
The civilian JTF is a vigilante group consisting of local youths aiding the military operatives to combat the Boko Haram insurgents.
He also sought for government’s support for the JTF by providing vehicles and allowances for the youth to motivate them.
“What the entire civilian JTF does is to give information to the military so that it can help them in their job,” he said.
Saidu added that no fewer than 2, 500 youths made up the organisation, saying the state government was planning to recruit additional 1, 500 to make it 4, 000 strong.
He said that the activities of the civilian JTF had helped to secure lives and property in the troubled state, adding that all that was needed currently was the federal government’s assistance.
“Borno is Nigeria and the people fomenting violence and the killings are Nigerians; if we can have assistance from the federal government, it will help us to achieve peace.”
He called on the Nigerian youth to join hands with the JTF to bring peace to the North East. “Borno is a beautiful state which must not be taken over by hoodlums,” he added.