Jan. 15, 2014
A group of Borno state elites under the aegis of Borno Elites for Peace, Stability and Progress have called for the arrest of former governor of the state, Senator Modu Sheriff over the creation of terror cells in the state and especially the Sunday bomb blast that claimed the lives of about 30 residents.
The group in a statement by its leaders: Imam Ibrahim Gazali (Chairman), Saleh Yerima Biu (Vice Chairman and Mary James Bata (Secretary) said the Senator’s claim of knowing those planting bombs in the state is enough reason for his arrest. It reads in full:
“We are amazed at a press statement issued on behalf of former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff a.k.a SAS by his campaign organisation, revealing that the ex–governor knows those behind the Tuesday deadly explosion in Maiduguri, which claimed the lives of over 30 innocent citizens of Borno State.
“We have noted with very serious concern the attempt by Sheriff to contradict the position of the Nigerian Army which had earlier attributed the deadly attacks to the handi work of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents. For Sheriff to publicly declare that the attack was not carried out by the Boko Haram but by some persons, shows that the former governor could perhaps be of a great service to the security operatives in Borno, by volunteering information on what really transpired. And we will indeed be glad if he can come forward to do so. By this, there is no need for the security operatives to look too far, in their bid to unmask and apprehend those bombing Borno and killing our citizens. To this end, we are calling on the security agencies to without any further delay, invite former Governor Sheriff to tell them all he knows, with a view to providing them with incontrovertible evidence about the identity of those who carried out the attack. And where he fails to do that, he should be hanged, for attempting to raise false alarm, with a view to misleading and insulting the sensibilities of victims and their families.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to raise certain germane questions and we will appreciate if Sheriff and his supporters can tell the world the whole truth about the questions. One, is it the same people he is accusing of planting last Tuesday’s explosion, that are also responsible for the explosions from 2009 to May 29, 2011 when he (Sheriff) was Governor of Borno State? Is it the same people that are responsible for the creation and funding of ECOMOG, from 1999 to 2011? If Nigerians would recall, throughout the many years of Borno’s history, terrorism began only during his tenure as Governor. Was it not under Sheriff that the dreaded thugs codenamed ECOMOG went about attacking rival political groups and openly using cutlasses to kill people on the streets of Maiduguri?
This can be cross-checked from the Ambassador Gaji Galtimari’s Presidential Committee on the Boko Haram crisis, which also indicted Sheriff of creating, commanding and sponsoring the dreaded ECOMOG thugs which the committee believes has links with the Boko Haram.
We also want Sheriff to tell the world under whose tenure as Governor of Borno State, was a major financier of Boko Haram known as Buji Foi, worked as Commissioner? We also want Sheriff to tell the public why Foi was murdered in custody by the then Borno State police Command without prosecuting him, let alone extract vital information from him. What was he trying to hide then, to warrant the killing of Buji Foi, even when he was arrested and was in custody?
We also want Sheriff to tell us whether Buji Foi was not actually taken to him at the Government House before he was taken to the police headquarters in Maiduguri and killed? We also want Sheriff to tell us why Alhaji Baa Fugu, the 74 year old father of late Mohammed Yusuf, was also killed in custody without giving him the opportunity to reveal useful information?
We also want Sheriff to tell the world why the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Mohammed Yusuf was also killed in custody without him being prosecuted for him to tell the world what should have been very useful information, on how the movement began? Who ordered his shooting and why? Sheriff should also tell the world whether the persons he is now accusing of Maiduguri’s latest explosion were the same people responsible for all the instances we enumerated.
We also want to know if the same people he is accusing, were also the same hired thugs, armed them with sticks and stationed at the Maiduguri airport to attack the convoy of the State’s Governor. Sheriff should also tell the world why he brought in thugs and started another round of crisis last Saturday, if not that he wanted to destabilise Borno. Sheriff had alluded to the fact that his campaign office was targeted but he should ask himself why wasn’t the office destroyed on Saturday, Sunday or Monday whereas he was still in Maiduguri fermenting mischief all the while. This clearly shows that the attack on his campaign office was a spontaneous reaction owing the explosion which every citizen of Borno and indeed all Nigerians find it very difficult to separate from his visit to Borno.
“While we sympathise with all those affected by last Tuesday’s blast, we once again call on the National Security Adviser, NSA, the National Assembly and all security chiefs to ask Sheriff to name these bombers, now or remain silent and be prepared to face the full wrath of the law. For now, all we can say is that Sheriff, and not Boko Haram, is the enemy of Borno.” -iReports
