Executive governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum
The group Said military can’t investigate, clear themselves of Baga’s allegations
By Jack Humpteys
A group, Katsina Network for Peace and Leadership, KANPAL, has called on Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum not to bother responding to recent media attacks on him by so called pro-military groups, adding that most of them are faceless.
The national coordinator of the group, Dr. Ibrahim Yusuf Bakori said in a statement issued on Sunday, that his group has been following “series of ridiculous media reports clearly sponsored against the Governor all in fruitless efforts to invalidate Governor Zulum’s evidence-based concern over the security of lives and property of his people”.
According to Dr. Bakori, “We strongly salute the Governor of Borno State, Professor Umaru Babagana Zulum for his very unique leadership that every sane Nigerian is appreciating. We have monitored, in the last two weeks, increased media attacks, most of them; by groups we have found to be faceless.
”Only one group held a press conference in Abuja and we know that group very well. With good “motivation”, the same group will be ready to hold a counter press conference in favour of Governor Zulum, therefore, responding to any of these groups will make them important.
“ Zulum is too great a leader to be seen responding to a faceless group of persons without tracing addresses, so we urged the Governor to remain focused on serving his people as he has been doing because he was elected by them and not appointed. We also place Nigerians on notice to expect sustained media attacks on Governor Zulum because his selfless and patriotic stand does not tally with the greed of some people. We urge good Nigerians to continue to pray for that exemplary Governor and God will surely protect, guide and strengthen him, bisimillah,” the group declared.
However, the KANPAL, has described as laughable, the outcome of a so-called panel of the military which addressed a press conference at the weekend, absorbing the military free from the allegations of firing shots at the Governor’s convoy in Baga, hijacking dry fish businesses in Baga and operating commercial farms in northern Borno, rather than focusing on fighting Boko Haram.
“We find it both laughable and insulting to common sense, that the same military which was accused, set up a kangaroo panel of all-military personnel, investigated themselves by themselves and cleared themselves. This kind of thinking clearly raises issues of the kind of good thinking that is required of a military that is out to defeat intelligent terrorists.
“A serious panel that is out for truth could at least interview the Governor even for their own assumption that he was attacked by the Boko Haram, they are hugely paid and provided arms worth billions of naira by President Muhammadu Buhari, to contain the criminal elements in the northeast. The panel restricted themselves to themselves and cleared themselves. So, who are they fooling?” the group asked.
KANPAL insisted that a serious panel should have comprised independent persons known with integrity and it should have made an open investigation.
The group said their members were impressed to see that Zulum was at the headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force and Navy in Abuja on Friday, focusing on handling the challenges before him rather than being distracted.
Corerepoters reported that the group also urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow himself to be deceived by those without good intention for the country, but should rather focus on those who will tell him the true situation of things for him to address the Boko Haram crisis so that he can leave a good legacy.
