The allegation by a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, that a Northern governor is the Commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria must be investigated.
Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) made this known in a statement on Wednesday by its Chairman and Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong. The forum asked the security agencies to immediately probe the grievous and weighty allegation made by the former Presidential candidate.
Lalong noted that the forum is concerned about the claims made by Mailafia as the governors have been working with the Federal Government, security agencies, and other stakeholders to defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of crimes in the region.
He also urged the former CBN offiicial and indeed all citizens with useful information on the activities of criminals and terrorist groups to assist security agencies and the governments at all levels with such intelligence for proper action.
The governor also hoped that such allegations are not smeared campaigns or attempt to discourage the Northern Governors who are putting in their best to bring an end to insecurity in the region.
“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 an immediate and thorough investigation”.
He reiterated that the Forum does not, and will not support the activities of any criminal group, because they as Governors and their families are not spared as was recently witnessed when the convoy of Governor Babagana Zullum of Borno State was attacked.
