Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, has threatened to apply to the Federal High Court for an order of mandamus to compel the security agencies to investigate and prosecute the indicted sponsors of terrorism in the country, accusing former Borno State governor, Alhaji Modu Sheriff of recruiting founders of the insurgent group, Boko Haram.
Falana, who raised several questions on the issue on Thursday, September 4, 2014 in a press statement titled: ‘How Modu Sheriff Sponsored Boko Haram,’ said the former governor only “attempted to play on the collective intelligence of Nigerians by denying any link with the dreaded Boko Haram sect.”
He asked him to give the details of what led to the extra-judicial killing of late Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf and his father-in-law, Alhaji Kuba who were killed under questionable circumstances by security agents during his tenure as governor.
According to him, an ECOMOG militia group set up and funded by Sheriff along with similar bodies were said to have constituted the roots of terrorism in the North-east.
“As the Chief Security Officer in Borno State at the material time the ex-governor should open up on the circumstances of the extra judicial killing of Muhammed Yusuff and his father-in-law, Alhaji Kuba.
“More importantly, Sheriff should explain to Nigerians the basis of the appointment of Alhaji Buji Foi, a Boko Haram leader as the Commissioner of Religions Affairs in Borno State,” the lawyer queried.
He asked further why Foi resigned from the Sheriff government and joined the Boko Haram sect and he too, as Yusuf, was extra-judicially killed after his arrest by soldiers.
“Yesterday (Wednesday, September 3, 2014) a former governor of Borno state, Mr. Modu Sheriff addressed a press conference at Abuja where he attempted to play on the collective intelligence of Nigerians by denying any link with the dreaded Boko Haram sect. He was apparently reacting to his indictment by Stephen Davis, the Australian negotiator who tried to secure the release of the abducted Chibok girls.
“In his press conference Sheriff claimed that he only met the late Mohammed Yussuf, the leader of the Boko Haram sect after he had been arrested by the army. As the Chief Security Officer in Borno State at the material time the ex-governor should open up on the circumstances of the extra judicial killing of Muhammed Yusuff and his father-in-law, Alhaji Kuba. More importantly, Mr. Sheriff should explain to Nigerians the basis of the appointment of Alhaji Buji Foi, a boko haram leader as the Commissioner of Religions Affairs in Borno State.”
Watch his video obtained via Sahara Reporters:
