Former Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sherrif Tells His Boko Haram Story During A Press Conference

                

                               Sheriff at press conference

Being the text of the World Press Conference by Former Borno State 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)