Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, has distanced himself from activities of Boko Haram, saying that associating him with the dreaded group was a ploy by his detractors to tarnish his image.
Speaking in an interview with New Telegraph, he said that activities of the insurgents started in Borno State before he became the governor of the state and regretted that contrary to perception in some quarters, he was indeed the first victim of the group.
The ex-governor’s expose came on the heels of a story by an Australian negotiator on Boko Haram which claimed that Sheriff was one of the major sponsors and financiers of the group.
Sheriff said records of his activities as governor of Borno State showed that he was against the sect, adding that anybody who links him with Boko Haram must be insane.
His words: “The Boko Haram war as we know it today, started in 2002 in Yobe State. The first attack of Boko Haram was in 2002 in Kanama, from there they ran to Borno State. And in 2002, where was I? I wasn’t a governor. There was a sitting governor in Borno State, and there was Boko Haram. They ran away from Kanama and moved to Gwoza hill!
“But come to think of it, who is Mohammed Yusuf ( first leader of the group)? Yusuf had been in Maiduguri, doing his preaching and later taken to court by the Federal Government, and prosecuted in Abuja, ever before I became a governor. And who was the first casualty of Boko Haram in Borno State? It is me.
“I was the first victim of Boko Haram in Borno State. In their first attack, they killed my brother, the same father and mother with me. That was when they fought with the military in Borno.
“The first casualty was me. Then, they killed my cousin. They killed my candidate for governorship; they killed my party chairman. Two of them were direct relations of mine. Why did they do that? Because I made a law prohibiting Boko Haram in the domain of Borno State.
“The law said anybody practising or associated with what Boko Haram was doing, was banned by law from so doing, and if caught, will be prosecuted and jailed for 25 years”.
On the story by the Australian negotiator, Sheriff said he was shocked as the whole thing looked senseless and baseless.
His words: “The man that purportedly gave the interview said he was an Australian, who said he came to Nigeria, and spoke to Boko Haram. I thought that really,if he is a professional mediator or negotiator,or whatever he calls himself,his report would have been given to the security agencies of Nigeria. That is number one.
Number two, also, if at all he spoke to Boko Haram, before making his views public, he should have known that I have a right of reply. He should have asked for my reaction or views on his findings,because I am a Nigerian,I am in Nigeria, I didn’t go anywhere. Number three,I was the governor of Borno State for eight years”.
*confused the more...let me sit down and re-read this right of reply again.
I just bliv we are confusing ourselves with our Northern leaders being their sponsors, if u ask me I will say itz a foreign tin... A whole lot of confusion here and there... Na siddon look I dey too...#alinko
ReplyDeleteI agree with a few points of his. A negotiator who mediates between terrorist groups and a country is equal to CIA, FBI, or whatever the case may be in the jurisdiction where he finds himself.
DeleteProtocols were not duly observed by the Australian. Sentiments aside and let's be pragmatic here. Like he said, the Australian should have either informed the authorities whom he represents, after which they would contact our own security details. Who goes on air to announce the identities of terrorists members or their sponsors without first investigating it behind doors? Even the Nigerian govt were caught unawares. This man can sue them if he knows his rights.
Our government should have been the ones to do the job properly if the evidences provided are admissible in court for prosecution. And in a case where our government refuses to prosecute, because we are synonymous to corruption and with the laxity in our judicial system, only then can the foreign security entities take up the case for prosecution.
What did he expect even if it is true that they are the sponsors? And like I said before, I do not believe that the masked so called BH members interviewed are real. Terrorists don't give a damn and it is either u meet their demands or u are on a long thing. They will NEVER reveal such vital infos to anyone when they are still in the business of terrorism. It is cheap and a giveaway. Even armed robbers don't give in that easily, not to mention such a high profile inhumane group of persons who are yet to receive what they desire of the govt .
They will not patronise the white man to the detriment of their demands. I find this revelation tacky. My opinion until otherwise proved.
Nonsense. I typed one thing and the thing just disappeared fiam. Abeg can't type again jor.
DeleteAnyway make I try again. My own is that I don't believe the Australian spoke to the real BH members. If they have admissible evidence to back it up then they should pursue it. This man can sue them if he knows his right.
I am neither saying he is innocent or guilty. All I am saying is that the protocol for investigation was not duly observed until they made it public. It was not in the Australian's place to announce the revelation made by a terrorist group or their sponsors. He as an investigative journalist or a mediator between a group of terrorists and the office that he represents, which is synonymous to being a CIA, FBI or whatever name they call it in his jurisdiction..committed a vital security blunder. His superiors should have been the ones to reveal such vital infos to our security details, who would then pursue an investigation to ascertain the veracity of the news.
Thereafter if the evidences are admissible in court they would file a suit against the accused persons, except that we live in a country where the judicial system is epileptic, only if foul play is suspected can the foreign entities step in. Even armed robbers are not quick to reveal such vital infos, so how can a high class of inhumane terrorist group such as BH divulge such infos when they are yet to receive of the govt what they desire? And when they are yet to surrender from their insurgency?
I don't think they give a damn about the white folks or would patronise them to the extent of giving out such info so cheaply. The whole thing is questionable and this remains my opinion until I am proved otherwise.
Ah una no vex o. Didn't think the first one went tru hence the second post. **runs away**
DeleteDear thank for posting this. you really did justice to this contraption the australian tried to shove down our throats. No evidence, no proof and to think some nigerians live on sensational news beats me. protocol not observed and he calls himself an international negotiator. he carelessly drops names at the same time he is afraid to name others. indeed if he wants nigerians to take him seriously he should provide evidence from the insurgents and the full list of the true sponsors of the insurgents. the fight against terrorism is now global.
DeleteExactly Lovelace. There's more to it than meets the eye. Let's watch and see how it unfolds. I suspect that the matter will die down naturally as usual. Given that election is what remains paramount to the Presidency at the moment.
DeleteLiar!
ReplyDeleteMr Davis called you out, now your are playing the victim.
you just hear him .."I thought that really, if he is a professional mediator or negotiator,or whatever he calls himself,his report would have been given to the security agencies of Nigeria"
Story! so that the truth will be hidden right?
Mr Davis said Sekibo killed Marshall Harry. am waiting on Obasanjo to come and continue from where your lies stopped.
All liars and wicked souls shall go to hell and burn to ashes
Namsense and Ingridient.
Ihekire Tony
ReplyDeleteAPC are really acting their written script well. They can decieve us but they can't decieve God.
Whoever believes that australian man shd also know dt I v a black face with a yellow ass.
ReplyDeleteSpot on!
DeleteDon't even know what to believe inasmuch as I don't trust any of them!but come to look at it,if he claims he fought against boko haram,to the extent close friends and family members of his got killed and Ihejirika too also made a remarkable success fighting them during his time to the point of being accused of genocide,now these same two' are accused of being sponsors?*confused face*,could it be a decoy,an alibi they(the accused)were using to cover up or its a way of BH indicting their worst enemies thereby taking attention from the main sponsors?!only God knows d answers to these questions!kai!naija,smh
DeleteHonestly im tired of all this. Would a thief accept he's one when he hasn't been caught. They should all stop these name calling and give us proof, the phone records, bank statements and all. A lil bit of jack bauer series can help our security teams intelligence since our government can't train them.
ReplyDeleteOriegwu!!..
ReplyDeleteWell,none of them will come out and accept..
I will always accuse Buhari...
I concur with u @Linda,none ll accept besides they should give us proofs if actually dey r saying d fact buh for d mean time I ll continue to call out on Buhari n his cohorts,#myopinionthough# so tribalistic muntulas pls stay off my comment.
DeleteI don't trust any politician
ReplyDeleteThey re selfish, self centered
Wicked and evil
They re willing and can do anything for power
Time will tell though
Am positive the truth will eventually come out
All the blood they re Sharing
Must be answered for
Like it or not
See gobe .i dey wait gist too
ReplyDeleteAll these accusations and counter accusations is not the ish, these people should be investigated, if found guilty face the consequences of their actions. For now they're still presumed innocent until found otherwise. That is what the securities and courts are there for. Kapish.
ReplyDelete*yawns*
ReplyDeleteAnybody accusing pple of being boko haram sponsors shld please provide proof. Anytin short of that is rubbish. Very soon blog visitors will start accusing each other of being BH sponsors.
ReplyDeleteOk! let me stand as you are sitting and reading so that i can comment when you are through!
ReplyDeleteB4 nko? E go gree? God will answer each and everyone of them sharparly IJN.
ReplyDeleteAnyother person could be there but not my former chief of army staff Ihejirika...Accusers et liars Roger that!
ReplyDeleteRoger *out*
DeleteNa wa hmmmmmmm abeg aunty stella borrow me one of ur sit.
ReplyDeleteGod dey
ReplyDeletewhat d heck is ds man sayin sef? I dony wanna judge bt in my opinion, I dnt tink ds man is clean.not evn b4 d said australian made a confession.d truth wl come out one day nd I just pray its soon cos d innocent bloods been shed is three much
ReplyDeleteBlood has no plural form dear, nothing like "bloods". Oya, thank me.
DeleteSharonna
I don't believe this man @all.
ReplyDeleteBefore nko? Person go gree that main thing?
ReplyDeleteRight to reply and your reactions what would they be?if not denial just like you are doing now,BH sponsors your end will come
ReplyDeleteTerrorist
Okwa ifuu Dese People?
ReplyDeleteDese politicians?
All of dem na same same
Buh GoD is watching!
I meant that kain thing.
ReplyDeletei so much believe the australian man's story. but what i do not understand is the fact that he could mention sheriff and ihejirika's names but couldnt mention the CBN man... well, Lamido Sanuni should continue hiding under the umbrella of being an emir. only God can save this country o. Naija is so corrupt that all the names mentioned so far as having links with these boko haram sect wont be tried/investigated.
ReplyDeletethe moment we get someone who can match these so-called "untouchables", then nigerian i believe will be a sweet place to live in.
U just said my mind!!! Ibelieve Sheriff started with those boys as thugs, then pushed them out when he became governor...and that yusuf man took over, they used to call themselves yusuffia group or something funny like that..
DeleteYaradua dealt them and they retreated...the present BH is very different from that first sect and God will expose all of them one by one
So becos he said CBN official u assumed it's Sanusi. Did u also read the part where he said the CBN official is related to the Ogwuche guy that was arrested in Sudan over the Nyanya bombing. Is Sanusi related to the Ogwuches?
DeleteHmm. Of course sherif will always deny although I do not understand why d CBN man has not been exposed.If Ihejirika is a sponsor then am dangote's daughter.
ReplyDeletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
Boko haram sponsors are foreighn base abeg.... No northern leaders is involve in any way......
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***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
SAS(Senator Ali-modu Sheriff) should shut it! He might not have started BH, but he made them the monsters they are today. He used them to persecute his political enemies by arming and financing them. He later dumped them, hence, the killings of his associates.
ReplyDeleteYall think boko haram will just mention their sponsors just like that? I'm disappointed in you people
ReplyDeleteAzazi was marked for death when he mentioned that PDP was behind BH. Why did our government refuse foreign investigation into the helicopter crash? BH uploads on you tube often and we find it difficult to trace, even Osama Bin Laden was careful? Nigerians think!
ReplyDeleteLying bastard. West Africa will not know peace until this illiterate is arrested.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that young lives are sacrificed for the sake of selfis thieves. Spoke to a soldier before the Nama attack and he said he has had only 17 bullets in his gun all week. This is a 26 year old boy.
ReplyDeleteGod is watching..
ReplyDeleteGod pass through my land _nation NIGERIA. Bring back Justice! PEACE !HONESTY so we can deliver A NEW Nation to coming generation
ReplyDelete