Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana,
has told security agencies to immediately investigate and prosecute all
those accused of being sponsors of the Boko Haram sect.
In a press conference on Wednesday, a
former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu-Sheriff, who was one of those
accused by Davis, denied sponsoring Boko Haram and even threatened to
sue Davis for making such allegations against him
However, Falana said Modu-Sheriff’s actions during his time as governor, proved that he was sympathetic towards Boko Haram.
He said Modu-Sheriff should explain to
Nigerians why he appointed Alhaji Buji Foi, a Boko Haram leader, as the
Commissioner for Religious Affairs.
Falana recalled that the Usman Galtimari
Panel set up in 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan to investigate the
genesis of Boko Haram had explained that private militias in Borno State
– of which Boko Haram is an offshoot – were set up by politicians in
the run-up to the 2003 general elections.
The human rights lawyer said the panel
recommended that the Federal Government should direct the security
agencies to beam their light on some politicians who sponsored, funded
and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram and
bring them to justice.
Falana maintained that since the Federal
Government had promised to implement the report of the panel, Davis’
allegations should not be taken for granted but should support the
report of the panel
He said, “Owing to the connection of
Alhaji Sheriff and other sponsors of the Boko Haram sect within the
Presidency, the security agencies have failed to implement the
directives of the Federal Government which were delivered since May
2012.
“Davis’ revelations have merely
confirmed the findings of the Galtimari Presidential Panel. The
purported denial of Alhaji Sheriff’s links with the Boko Haram sect
should not be taken seriously by Nigerians.
“It would be recalled that Governor
Sheriff had told the whole world in a press conference sometime in 2006,
that he was not bothered by criticisms of his administration for
non-performance because less than five per cent of the people of Borno
State were literate. It has since been confirmed that majority of the
youths who “gravitated towards religious extremism” come from the over a
million children who were denied basic education by the Borno State
government under Governor Sheriff.
“In the light of the foregoing, the
security forces should, without any further delay carry out the
directives of the Federal Government by investigating and prosecuting
all the indicted sponsors of the Boko Haram sect. If the directives are
not carried out forthwith I shall apply to the Federal High Court for a
Writ of MANDAMUS to compel the security agencies to discharge their
duties in the public interest.”
