- Nigeria, allies seek help to stop terrorist group
- PDP counters APC’s accusations
The governor, at a news conference in Abuja, professed his innocence just as he did in an exclusive interview he granted New Telegraph, which was published on Tuesday.
Also yesterday, Nigeria called on the international community to offer more assistance to West Africa in fighting Boko Haram, saying the fight against terrorism is a global task that should not be left to either a country or a regional to do alone.
Yesterday’s news conference by Sheriff came barely 24 hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) pointedly told President Goodluck Jonathan to hand over Sheriff and a former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution for their alleged links to Boko Haram. Besides, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fired back at the APC over its accusations, saying the opposition party cherry picked from the statement purportedly made by the Australian investigator, Dr. Stephen Davis, to absolve itself of blame for allegedly promoting insurgency in the country.
Sheriff, repudiated allegations of any link to Boko Haram, saying rather than being a sponsor, he is “one of the greatest victims of the atrocities of the Boko Haram sect.”
He stated that because he did not allow the sect to operate in Borno State during his tenure, they were driven by a desire for vengeance against him, members of his family and political associates.
He said: “From the number of causalities amongst my relations and political associates it is evident that I suffered considerable personal loss from the crisis.”
He listed those killed to include his younger brother, Goni, the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) state chairman the late Alhaji Awana Ngala, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2011 election, the late Mr. Modu Fannami Gubio, Alhaji Mustapha Fulawama and Bukar Goni Kolo, who were the former governor’s friends. He doubted the identity of the Australian, wondering why he could not turn in his findings to the Federal Government who engaged him or speak to any of the Nigerian media, “but rather sneaked out to purportedly speak to a third rate television station, ARISE.” Sheriff added that the fact that the face of Davis was not shown in all the three interviews he granted cast a doubt on the genuineness of his intention.
While dismissing the insinuations that he formed Boko Haram to achieve his political ambition, the former governor said Boko Haram predated his government because the founder, the late Mohammed Yusuf, was a member of Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee set up by his predecessor, Alhaji Mala Kachallah, in February 2001.
“I have no association with any terrorist anywhere. I have never met the group. I cannot be a sponsor of a group I have not met before. I don’t have foot soldiers, as they alleged.
“My name has been mentioned for political reasons over the attacks of Boko Haram. I have been accused unfairly in connection with Boko Haram since I left office. “For the records, let me state categorically that I do not share the same ideology with Boko Haram.
For the records, the late leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, once named me, Umaru Yar’Adua and some other leaders as targets. He boasted he would deal with all of us,” the former governor added.
According to Sheriff, the pattern of killings by the sect members makes it easy to conclude that the sect had become captive of some political forces bent on settling scores with the defunct ANPP that had ruled Borno State since 1999.
He blamed the difficulty in tackling the menace of the sect on the geographical location of Borno State coupled with the relatively poor socio-economic status of neighbouring countries. He added that because Borno State shares borders that are porous with three countries, it has been easy for dissidents, some of who were engaged in fighting in Chad since the 1980s, to enter Nigeria and become part of the insurgents.
He stated that the campaign against him became more strident after he decided to leave the APC for the PDP, adding that he is not deterred by his resolve to take Borno State to main stream politics.
Also reacting to the APC’s accusations, the PDP said the opposition party was merely using Davis’ statement to defend itself.
The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, described as shocking and worrisome the accusation by the APC.
“Oyegun’s statement rather than exonerate the APC has reinforced and underscored its true identity as a party of desperate politicians supportive of violence and disunity through their utterances and body language, a fact that is already well known to all Nigerians.
“In trying to stand the truth on its head, Oyegun has succeeded in further exposing the desperation of the APC to launder its image through renewed propaganda and blackmail, a project which has already failed”, the PDP said.
It wondered why the APC would choose to be silent on the revelation by Davis that some people opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan used their connections to Boko Haram to frustrate his efforts if not to achieve the self-serving purpose of exonerating the party. PDP also said the opposition party chose to ignore some of the revelations made in Davis’ interview concerning Boko Haram’s funding and sponsorship, apparently because they were favourable to the opposition party.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday urged more support from the international community to ensure Boko Haram does not establish fresh links with other terrorist networks in the Sahel, especially with the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, said at a one-day ministerial meeting on security in Abuja that the government was intensifying efforts at sharing intelligence and information on the operations of the terrorists with concerned countries.
The meeting, which had in attendance the foreign ministers of Benin, Cameroun, Chad and Niger, also had representatives of African Union (AU), European Union (EU), United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), among others gracing the occasion.
Wali stated that beyond the military campaigns in the North-East, Nigeria had undertaken a comprehensive and critical review of the socio-economic conditions in the zone as part of efforts to combat terrorism.
He listed the efforts to include the launch of a Presidential Initiative in the North East (PINE) and the Victims’ Support Fund with over $490 million realised at its inception.
“As we seek to break any operational link between Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, El Shabaab and other terrorist networks in the Sahel, we must not allow Boko Haram to establish fresh links with the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). “We need to intensify the sharing of intelligence and information on the operations of the terrorists.
We also need to track both local and external sources of funds, logistics, arms and ammunition to the terrorists with a view to cutting them off, so as to deny them the oxygen that nourishes the insurgency.
“The claim by Boko Haram to a phantom “Islamic Caliphate” in a few areas of the north-eastern part of our country is ludicrous and untenable.
The Federal Government will never surrender to terror and is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the unity and territorial integrity of Nigeria,” he said.
The meeting, which is a follow-up to the earlier conference held earlier year in Paris, France, also deliberated on some crucial questions relating to funding, sponsorship and sources of the sophisticated arms and ammunition being used by the terrorists in the country.
Harping on the need for concerted global efforts at curtailing Boko Haram, Wali said: “As a government, we are not aware of any model for prosecuting the war on terror.
The history and experience of countries that have faced the challenge of terrorism reveal no quick fixes. Nigeria can therefore not be an exception.”
However, Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, has cut short his official visit to Sudan and the United Kingdom following the invasion of Bama by Boko Haram.
The governor who left the state last week was expected to visit school authorities and over 70 students recently sponsored by the state government for Medicine and Petroleum Geo-Sciences in the two countries.
But it was learnt that he aborted his trip in view of the emergency and on returning, held crucial meetings in Abuja on the security situation in the state.
The governor was also said to have approved the formation and release of funds to a committee set up to coordinate distribution of relief materials to displaced people.
Also, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El- Kanemi, has asked Muslims to immediately begin a three-day fasting and prayers to seek divine intervention for the return of peace in the terror-ravaged parts of the country.
The monarch yesterday in a statement equally called on Christians not to relent in the prayers so that the threat of the insurgents who invaded Bama three days ago could be warded off.
El-Kanemi in the statement by the Secretary of Borno Emirate Council, Alhaji Zanna Laisu Kazalma, said the fasting should start from today
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