Northern govs demand probe of Mailafia’s Boko Haram allegation

The Northern Governors’ Forum has called for a thorough investigation into claims made by Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, who said during a radio interview that a serving northern governor is a commander of Boko Haram.

Reacting to the claims made by the former Deputy Governor of the CBN, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong said that the allegation made by Mailaifa was weighty and must be investigated.

Governor Lalong who commented on the matter in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Makut Macham, on Thursday, called on 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 to be taken by those concerned.

He said; “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.

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“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. I urge Dr. Mailafia 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,” Lalong added.

The Governor also hoped that such allegations were not smear campaigns or attempts to discourage Northern governors who are putting in their best to bring an end to insecurity in the region.

“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.

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