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Investigate Claims Indicting One Of Us As Boko Haram Leader, Northern Govs Tell Security Agencies
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has expressed concern over the grave allegation levelled against one of them by a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Obadiah Mailafia.
Simon Lalong, the forum’s chairman and Plateau state governor, said the allegation is too weighty to be treated with scant regard.
Obadiah Mailafia, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a presidential candidate in the last election, had said repentant insurgents identified a northern governor as one of their leaders.
Speaking during a programme on Nigeria Info 95.1FM on Monday, he said: “They (the repentant insurgents) told us that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram and the bandits are one and the same. They have a sophisticated network.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Makut Macham, Lalong’s spokesman, called on security agencies to investigate the Mailafia claim.
He said said the northern governors have been working to end the insurgency, and that the allegation must be investigated.
Also Read: Boko Haram : I Stand By What I Said – Says Ex CBN Deputy Gov., Mailafia On Indictment Of Governors
The statement read: “The Northern Governors Forum has called on security agencies to investigate the allegation by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia in which he alleged that ‘… one of the Northern Governors is the Commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria.’
“The Forum is concerned about the weighty allegation made by Dr. Mailafia which must be thoroughly investigated. The Forum which has been working with the Federal Government, security agencies, community, civil society, traditional and religious leaders as well as development partners to defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of crimes in the region, finds the allegation by Dr. Mailafia very weighty which deserves further investigation.
“We as Northern Governors have met severally to discuss insecurity in the Northern Region and the nation at large where we did not only condemn the activities of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals, but also engaged the President and all heads of security agencies in finding solutions to the problem.
“To now say that one of our members is leading Boko Haram in Nigeria is a serious allegation that cannot be swept under the carpet. We demand immediate and thorough investigation.”
Also Read: NBC To Sanction Nigeria Info FM Over Mailafia’s Interview
The governor asked Mailafia and anyone with useful information on the activities of criminals and the insurgents to assist security agencies with such intelligence “for proper action”.
“The Forum does not, and will not support the activities of any criminal group, because we as Governors and our families are also not spared as was recently witnessed when the convoy of Governor Babagana Zullum of Borno State was attacked,” he said.
The Department of State Services (DSS) earlier invited Mailafia over the claim.
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