Gyang Bere, Jos and Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau
Northern Governors Forum has called on security agencies to investigate allegation made by former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya that “one of the Northern Governors is the Commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria.”
This came as Mailafiya, yesterday, honoured the invitation of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) over the claim.
Daily Sun gathered that Dr Obadiah arrived the Plateau State Command of the DSS in Jos along with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Pius Akumbo and Plateau State chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Saleh Bawa.
Prominent citizens were also at the DSS office to ensure he was not harassed.
Dr. Mailafiya, who spoke to journalists after his interrogation said he was asked questions about the Radio interview he granted.
He was compelled to provide a surety whose international passport, National Identity Card and other relevants documents were deposited with the DSS before he was released.
Regardless, chairman of the governors forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, in a statement in Jos, said 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, found the allegation by Dr. Mailafiya weighty and deserved thorough investigation.
“We as northern governors have met severally to discuss insecurity in the 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 is a serious allegation that cannot be swept under the carpet. We demand immediate and thorough investigation.”
He urged Dr. Mailafiya and indeed all citizens with useful information on the activities of criminals and terrorist groups to assist security agencies and Governments at all levels with such intelligence for proper action.
The governor also hoped that such allegations were not smear campaigns or attempts to discourage the northern governors who were putting in their best to bring an end to insecurity in the region.
He reiterated that the Forum did not, and will not support the activities of any criminal group, because they as governors and their families were also not spared as was recently witnessed when the convoy of Governor Babagana Zullum of Borno State was attacked.
Meanwhile, the governors of Niger and Kaduna States, Alhaji Sani Bello and Malam Nasir El-Rufai have hailed the successes recorded by the Nigerian Army in dealing with banditry in the North West and North Central part of the country.
The governors gave the commendation during a visit to the Special Army Super Camp 4 in Faskari, Katsina State on Wednesday to ascertain the level of successes of the recently launched Exercise Sahel Sanity.
Bello said the establishment of the super camp and exercise Sahel Sanity had achieved tremendous successes against bandits within one month.
He said that farmers in many communities that were hitherto affected by banditry had returned to their farms, expressing confidence that banditry would soon be a thing of the past.
The governor also commended the officers and men of Nigerian army for their sacrifice and urged them to sustain the tempo.
El-Rufai said the exercise, which was flagged off on July 6, had recorded remarkable successes and impressive achievements within the short period, adding that those that lived in the areas of operation could testify.
He said the biggest fear of the governors earlier in the year was that the level of banditry escalated in various states in the North West and Niger state which could cripple farming activities in the region.
According to him, the menace could lead to serious economic consequences for the country leading to food shortages and insecurity.