by Maina Maina
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Borno State chapter, Abdulwasiu Alfa has called on the Federal Government to produce names of Boko Haram sponsors within 21 days and prosecute them.
He said if the government failed to do so, the association was ready to mobilize skills and resources to initiate and commence criminal proceedings before the international criminal Court, ICC, for crime against humanity.
Speaking during a press conference in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on Friday, Alfa stressed that there was no doubt that the ongoing insurgency which started since 2009 bedeviling Borno State and Nigeria as a whole had claimed casualties amongst the good citizens, pointing out that it was indisputable that the Nigeria Army had woefully failed in every aspect of their constitutional duty of safe-guarding and protecting the lives and property of citizenry, especially the innocent ones in Borno and the North East sub- region.
He emphasized that pundits had often argued that this dismal failure, from the military may be deliberate given its monumental achievement in peacekeeping missions within Africa and beyond.
“No Nigerian is above the law, as justice must not only be seen to be done, but must be manifestly seen to be done. Let me assure the good people of Borno State that the NBA Maiduguri branch will stand firmly and solidly behind them to ensure that those who made orphans and widows of us are sent to where they belong.
“No amount of political rigmarole of circumlocution can help any one evade justice. The federal government should act now. If it fails, we shall, after 21 days from today (Friday) give effect to our undertaking to initiate criminal proceedings before the office of the Chief Prosecutor of ICC to investigate these allegations”. The NBA Chairman re-emphasized.
