Ali Modu Sheriff Opens Up On His Boko Haram Linkage

Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff over link with Boko Haram.

Gentlemen of the Press, I am constrained to address you today happenings

in some sections of the media, so as to correct the erroneous and

mischievous impressions being created about my person.
I have restrained

myself from joining issues with those making uncomplimentary comments

about me regarding the Boko Haram crisis because I know that all right

thinking Nigerians can see through the plot being employed to divert

attention from the real issues at stake and to denigrate me in the eyes of

the public. As you are aware, my name is being mentioned for obvious

political reasons as a culprit over the unfortunate happenings in Borno

State and some parts of the country, especially from the 2009 Boko Haram

episode to date. I must say that I have been utterly embarrassed by some

of the negative comments, insinuations and unfounded accusations, which

were clearly misdirected, narrow and mischievous From the time I left

office in 2011, I had been unfairly accused of so many things in

connection with the Boko Haram sect.




Firstly, I was accused of entering into an agreement with the sect to

implement Sharia Law in the State so as to support my candidacy during the

gubernatorial election in 2003 and that I broke that promise, which was

why they resorted to armed struggle as a strategy to implement it.

Secondly, I was accused of having linkage with the sect and thirdly, my

Administration was also accused of not acting on security reports related

to their activities, which was believed to have given the group the space

to operate and cause the mayhem experienced. I wish to correct the

misconception tenaciously held by some people that linked me to the sect

even when several evidences point to the contrary. Ordinarily, I would

have continued in my silence, but the smear campaign seems to be assuming

a life of its own with the recent purported interview granted by a’

supposed Australian, Stephen Davis, whose identity remains suspect.




Davis claimed to be working for the Federal Government but could not even

avail the same Government which hired him the report of his findings, or

speak to the Nigerian media, but rather sneaked out to purportedly speak

to a third rate television station, ARISE.

The posers here are; why was the face of the said Davis not shown in all

three interviews he granted? It is rather curious that the said interview

was available only to,THISDAY newspapers both of which owned by the same

person. Why couldn’t other viewers in London have access to the

controversial interview? Of what particular interest is the said Davis in

the politics of Nigeria that he rose in defence of prominent APC leaders?

Is the Australian a negotiator, an investigator, an anti graft agent, a

reporter, a judge or a mere gadfly?




I also take particular exception to remarks credited to the national

Chairman of the APC, John Odegie Oyegun, in his press conference of

Tuesday 2nd September, 2014. As much as I do not consider changing ones’

political party as an anathema, I am particularly concerned that, my

defection from the APC into the PDP seems to further galvanize my

detractors who have converted the matter into a political weapon .. Even

as the brain behind the whole charade, the All Progressive Party, APC, in

its seeming desperation to retain my membership went rather too far in its

political mudslinging. I consider it most uncharitable for the party, to

use me as an alibi for the obvious culpability of some of its members.




As much as I do not want to politicize such a various serious issue like

security, I am compelled to correct Chief Oyegun’s faulty generalizations,

and judgmental attitude in acting out this well rehearsed script,

conceived, written and directed by the APC. It has never been a secret

that one of the most disturbing developments to the APC of late, is the

massive departure of very prominent members, including my humble self. But

this is not enough to warrant the callous campaigns against me or any

person for that matter.




After due reflection over the dimensions the whole issue seems to be

taking and saddened by the persistent misrepresentation and misinformation

in some quarters, particularly the recent castigation by the APC, it has

become imperative upon me to set the records straight as they relate my

person.

Let me place it on record that since the inception of the current

dispensation from 1999, I have been in the opposition party to the PDP. I

have at every election caused the defeat of the PDP in my state. It will

sound infantile for anybody to believe the accusation as being a mole of

the same party that I have been causing its defeat in every election. And

if I have been a problem to the APC, even as one of its founding fathers,

what stops the party from exposing me or sanctioning me all the while. or

are they accessories? Then how do we justify such an “accusation when some

members of the same APC are being prosecuted for alleged offences related

to Boko Haram activities?




It may not be necessary to bother you with the long history of the

metamorphosis of Boko Haram as a sect, as several reports have published

their genesis, spanning over twenty five years. The incident preceding the

2009 was in Kanama of Yobe State in 2002, long before I became the

Governor of Borno state. It is on record that my Administration in 2009

took exceptional bold steps in handling the Boko Haram insurgency.




Given the seriousness of the issue, I feel it is highly uncharitable to

try and trivialize the issue of terrorism on the alter of political

rivalry. I believe very strongly that some of those linking me with the

sect are doing so either because of absolute ignorance of the group, its

history and development or are clearly being mischievous. Hence my

decision to speak on the issue and make certain clarifications for the

benefit of the unsuspecting general public becomes necessary.




It may interest you to know that it was the Government of my predecessor

in office, the late Alhaji Mala Kachallah (May his gentle soul rest in

perfect peace) that introduced Sharia Law in the State in the year 2000

through the ‘Borno State Sharia Administration of Justice Law 2000′.

As a matter of fact, late Mala Kachallah signed the Bill into Law at an

elaborate ceremony at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri and appointed the

Borno State Sharia Law Implementation Committee in February, 2001 under

the Chairmanship of Professor Abubakar Mustapha, the former

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri. Interestingly, the late

Mohammed Yusuf, leader of the Boko Haram sect was a member of the

Committee among other Islamic scholars.’

If indeed there was an agreement between the sect and my predecessor on

the issue of Sharia Implementation, I am not aware of it, as I was neither

in Government then. nor was I a party to it. And since the law precedes my

Administration I may not be in a position to speak on how it was

conceived, promulgated and implemented. I present to you a copy of the

‘Borno State Sharia administration of justice Law 2000′ and the

letter of appointment of the Chairman and members of the Borno State

Sharia Law Implementation Committee for your peru al.




Let me state categorically at this point that I do not share the ideology

of the Boko Haram sect, which is against western education, western

culture and modern science or any other sect with similar ideology. From

my background, it could be easily seen that we are completely opposed to

one another in terms of our viewpoints and convictions. By my nature and

upbringing, I have neither associated myself with nor shared the beliefs

of religious fundamentalists such as the Boko Haram sect or any other sect

for that matter.




With all sense of modesty, I wish to state that I have been a successful

international businessman before joining politics. In 1992, I was elected

a Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria under the National Republican

Convention (NRC) to represent Borno Central Senatorial District. I was a

member of the defunct Constitutional Conference between 1994 to 1995,

Chairman of the African-American Summit in Dakar, Senegal in 1995. I was

appointed by the Federal Govemment as a member of the Commonwealth

delegation that undertook a diplomatic reconciliation mission to the

United States and United Kingdom when the country “was at its most trying

times in its international relations. I was again elected a Senator of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of the United Nigeria

Congress Party (UNCP) 1998 representing Borno Central Senatorial District

of Borno State. With Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, I was elected

for the third time as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under

the platform of All Peoples Party (APP). I become the Minority Leader and

Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence among others. Again, in

2003, I was elected the fourth Executive Governor of Borno State and

re-elected for the second time in 2007. I served my people until 29th May,

2011 when I handed over to a successor. As a committed and consistent

politician, I was at various times elected the national treasurer of the

United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) and has served as the National

Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). ‘I was also a member of

the Board of Trustees of the two Political Parties.




I remained the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our great party the

ANPP before the current merr.er into the APC. Let me seize this

opportunity to once again thank the good people of the State for giving me

these rare privileges to serve them. I remain grateful and indebted to the

people of Borno. It is instructive to point out that I had been one of the

greatest victims of the atrocities of the Boko Haram sect. As the

Executive Governor of the State at that time, I had not abdicated my

responsibilities of protecting the- lives and property of the people and

did not give them any breathing space to operate outside the law of the

land. Because of this, they were driven by a desire for vengeance against

me, my family and my political associates. From the number of casualties

amongst my relations and political associates it is evident that I

suffered considerable personal loss from the crisis. Amongst those killed

in cold blood were my younger brother, late Alhaji Goni Mustapha Sheriff,

the defunct ANPP State Chairman and my brother in-law, late Alhaji Awana

Ngala, the gubernatorial Candidate of our party in the 2011 elections,

late Engr, Modu Fannami Gubio, my bossom friends Alhaji Mustapha

Fulawama.: Bukar Goni Kols, and a host of other close political

associates.




May their gentle souls rest in peace. Available records show that the Boko

Haram sect predates my governance. As for the events of June 2009, Lmust

state that there was collaboration between the Federal and the state

Government in trying to contain the situation. For record purposes, on the

11th of June, 2009, there was a report of shooting of seventeen (17)

members of the sect by members of the “Operation Flush”( a combined

security outfit against crime). They were reported to have attempted to

forcefully seize the weapon of a soldier at a check point in Maiduguri

metropolis, while on a procession to bury some of their members that died

in a motor accident. The injured persons were taken to the University of

Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment and the authorities of the

hospital requested for protection because of the influx of unwanted

visitors to the victims, which did not go down well with members of the

sect. The following day, late Mohammed Yusuf held an open sermon, which he

tagged an “open letter”.




In that sermon, late Yusuf called the names of the former President of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, late Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua (May his gentle

soul rest in perfect peace), the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air

Marshal Paul Dike, the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General A.

Dambazzau, the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Onovo, the former

Director-General of the State Security Services (SSS), Mr. Afakriya

Gadzama and my humble self and threatened to deal with us and those that

refused to share their doctrine. He called these leaders unprintable names

and vowed to revenge what happened to their members. The recordings of the

sermon were widely circulated in the State and some parts of the country.

There were also reports that the group were stockpiling arms and

ammunitions, which was discussed at the Security Council and appropriate

decisions taken on the issue.

The former Presidents and Commanders-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo and late President

Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua were accordingly briefed on the activities of the

Boko Haram sect at various times and the threat posed by the group to

national security. On the 23rd of July, 2009, there was a report of arrest

of nine (9) members of the sect with bomb making devices and chemicals in

Biu town. There was also a report of bomb explosion in the house of one of

the members of the sect who later died from the explosion. Unbelievably,

on the same 23rd July, 2009, the group had planned and had attacked the

residence of a Deputy Commandant of the Mobile Police (Mopol) in the GRA

and killed his guards and burnt his house. The group also went to the

Police Headquarters in Maiduguri and indiscriminately and gruesomely

killed Police Officers and personnel and members of their families. There

is no doubt that the almost one week period (Sunday 26th July – Friday

31st July, 2009) during which the Boko Haram sect unleashed terror on

Maiduguri and its environs would forever remain the traumatic and darkest

part of the history’ of the State. In the five days during which the Boko

Haram war climaxed, no fewer than a thousand innocent people, including

policemen were brutally killed. An even higher number of their relatives

were brutally killed by the sect when they attacked the Police College in

Maiduguri, Bauchi, Yobe and Taraba States. Five Police Stations in the

city of Maiduguri were set ablaze and several vehicles used by the force

were burnt; arms and ammunition carted away; and so on.




Details of the casualties are available with the relevant authorities.

Within one week, the atrocities of the sect escalated beyond proportion.

The State Government immediately drew the attention of the then President

when the situation was getting out of hand and clearly beyond the capacity

of the Police alone. Following that, the President and Commander- In-Chief

of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua accordingly

gave the Military directives for action to be taken against the sect. On

his way to Brazil on an official engagement, late President Yar’Adua

addressed the Press promising that the ” Talibans ” as he called them

“would be fished out, and dealt with decisively and promptly”.




It was at this point that the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Armoured

Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos, Major General Saleh Maina, now

retired, led the operation and successfully dislodged the sect after about

five (5) days of fierce battle that rocked the State. As the Chief

Security Officer, the Governor only provided logistics in terms of funds

for the operation, since it was purely a Military Affair; the Military

drew and managed its operational orders. This also applied to the Nigeria

Police Force, which was led by a Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police,

John Hamza Ahmodu, now deceased.




Reports indicated that eventually, some of the sect members were killed in

the gun battle and their leader, late Mohammed Yusuf was captured by the

Military and handed over to the Police for prosecution. Understandably,

the circumstances of the death of some of the sect leaders and their

sponsors attracted wide publicity and condemnation worldwide, which

prompted the Federal Government to appoint a “High-Powered Post-Mortem

Committee on the Sectarian Crisis in Kano, Bauchi, Yobe, and Borno

States”, charged with the responsibility of investigating the matter

generally.




The Committee, which was headed by the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air

Marshal Paul Dike with membership that cut across the various security

agencies in the country, visited the affected areas and met with

stakeholders. The Committee had submitted its report. In fact, the issue

regarding the death of the sect leader and others is currently in the

court of law in Abuja where some Police officers are facing trial. On its

part, the Borno State Government appointed a High- Powered Administrative

Committee of Inquiry into the Boko Haram insurgency headed by Ambassador

Gaji Galtimari and the Committee made far reaching recommendations, most

of which were considered and implemented. Government later converted the

Committee into an Implementation Committee, which implemented the

Government White-Paper on the matter.




Sequel to the recommendation of the High-powered Committee and pursuant to

the powers vested in the office of the Executive Governor of the State by

Section 97 A of the Penal Code Law, CAP 102 Laws of Borno State, the sect

commonly known as Boko Haram and alternatively as Yusufiyya was declared

as a society dangerous to the good government of Borno State and therefore

banned. This Order was cited as the Boko Haram or Yusufiyya Sect (Society

Dangerous to Government of Borno State) (Declaration) Order, 2010. They

said Order was made on the s” Day of May 2010. The movement in reaction to

the order changed its nomenclature to Jama’atul Ahlis-Sunnah Lidda’awati

Wal Jihad.




Unfortunately, in spite all of the above, the sect continued to wreck

havoc in Bauchi, Yobe, Taraba, Borno, Kano States, including the Federal

Capital Abuja. The group, had resurfaced with a renewed strategy and in a

more dangerous and determined manner since the Jail Break in Bauchi

sometime ago. The wave of assassinations by Boko Haram sect in Borno State

clearly suggested that the group went back to the drawing board after

their encounter with the Military in 2009 assessed it methods and

developed new ones. In the last three years, an alarming number of members

of the rank and file of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies had

been killed by sect, in addition to other innocent Nigerians.




Equally, scores of known high-profile individuals (traditional rulers,

Islamic clerics as well as politicians) have been murdered in cold blood

for providing information to security agencies or preaching against a

retrogressive Boko Haram ideology. From the pattern of these killings, it

was not difficult to conclude that the sect had also become captive of

some political forces bent on settling political score with the followers

of our party that have ruled the State since 1999.Most of these

assassinations were no doubt politically motivated.







CONCLUSIONS




In conclusion, it is necessary to state that security of lives and

property received the highest priority of Government throughout the period

I was the Executive Governor because I believed that any government that

failed to protect its people loses its essence. The Borno State Government

under my leadership had spent a colossal amount of money on security

matters because of the porous borders the State shares with three (3)

countries. The geographical location of Borno State significantly

contributed to the huge security challenge faced by Government. In

addition, the relatively poor socio-economic status of our neighbouring

countries largely made Borno State a haven for most of the dissidents that

were engaged in fighting in Chad since the 1980s. It is also important to

state that as the Chief Security Officer of the State, I had limitations

as to the directives I could possibly issue out to the Military and Police

Force because these are Federal Agencies that got their orders from their

chain of commands, where the ultimate responsibility for their action

reside. It is instructive to also point out that the State Government

sought for approval to engage these organisations in adhoc assignments

like the Operation Flush. The State Security Council frequently

deliberated on the security challenges in the State and decisive actions

were always taken on issues brought before it. It is pertinent to

re-emphasize the fact that throughout the period of my business life even

before joining politics and political activities since 1990, I have not

associated myself with any religious group.

As a matter of fact, I did not know the late Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of

the Boko Haram sect or any of his followers throughout my life. I saw late

Yusuf for the very first and last time when he was captured by the

Military after the fierce battle they had with the sect in 2009 before he

was handed to the Police. As the Chief Security Officer, the Military

invited me to see him in their custody.







Commissioner in my cabinet.




As a matter of fact, late Foi was a Local Government Chairman in Kaga

Local Government during the regime of my predecessor, late Alhaji Mala

Kachallah (May his soul rest in perfect peace) in 1999. When I became the

Governor of the State in 2003, I adopted a participatory system of

Governance where major stakeholders in the Local Governments chose those

to be appointed into political offices, including Commissioners. It was

the stakeholders in Kaga Local Government that submitted the name of late

Foi for appointment into the State Executive Council to which I obliged.

Perhaps, it is important to stress the fact that the Boko Haram sect did

not start when I took over the mantle of leadership in the State in 2003

but existed before my assumption as the Governor.




As a matter of fact also, the members of the sect dangerously believed

that their mission is divinely directed, which makes it difficult to

change them and this explained why they were ready to die in the cause

they were pursuing. They also have a lot of disdain for politicians and

hate democracy with passion as you perhaps know by now.




Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as a three-time elected Senator of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria and a two-time Executive Governor of Borno

State, I wish to state with all sense of responsibility and modesty that

all our actions were guided by the need to improve the wellbeing of our

people and take our State to greater heights. For the avoidance of doubt,

as a Muslim, I believe in the sanctity of human life and as a true

democrat endorse all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter and the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights. I also believe in the observance of

Fundamental Human Rights of all citizens and following due process in

dealing with any violation of the law.




Permit me to highly commend the President and Commander-In Chief of the

Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, for his good sense of purpose in handling

the issue and his commitment to restoring peace in the dear country. I

also commend the Military and other security agencies for their sacrifice

and patriotism in tackling this major security challenge in our dear

country. They are patriots whose names will be individually and

collectively written in gold in the annals of the history of our beloved

country. It is rather curious that the campaign against me is becoming

more stringent at the time I decided to take Borno into mainstream

national politics by joining the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.




Much as I am saddened, I must say I am not deterred in my resolve to save

Borno and indeed Nigeria from the threats of this mindless sect and its

true sponsors. This address will be incomplete without expressing my

heart- felt sympathy and condolences to the families whose loved ones had

been killed during the unfortunate crises across the country. I share

their pains and grief and pray that God gives them the fortitude to bear

the irreparable losses. I equally pray for the speedy recovery of those

who were injured in these disturbances.




Ladies and Gentlemen, having placed before you the true in these

disturbances. Ladies and Gentlemen, having placed before you the true

story, as moulders of public opinion, I leave for Nigerians to judge,

whether it has become a crime in .our land to do good to all manner of men

as a leader. Nigerians are in a better position to juxtapose my story

against the fabricated allegations being orchestrated by some mischief

makers. It is rather unfortunate that those who benefitted most from all

the actions we took to position Borno state in the face of our challenges

are today in the forefront of the smear campaign. Beyond everything else,

God Almighty is the ultimate judge of all men. May HIS wrath visit those

who kill, only to turn around and accuse others. Thank you for your

attention.




Senator (Dr.) Ali Modu Sheriff Immediate-Past Executive Governor of Borno

State (2003- 2011)