Borno Govt Backing LG Chairman Allegedly Hiding Boko Haram Commander
... Says chairman reported himself to military
It noted that contrary to media reports, the chairman
wasn't arrested, rather, he reported himself to the military.
The ministry also said the chairman was known for closely working
with hunters and military commanders for many years in Mafa leading the community
fight against Boko Haram.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate
Affairs, Hon. Usman Ali Zanna, however said his ministry neither questions the
judgment and authority of the military nor exonerates the chairman of any
wrongdoing in order not to preempt the outcome of ongoing investigation.
"If not because of media reports on this
matter, the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs which oversees
the affairs of the 27 local government areas in the state would have preferred
not to make public comment over a matter that is still being investigated by
our competent and patriotic military establishment involved in the fight
against Boko Haram.
“It has become necessary that this statement is
issued in order to put some records straight. First of all, contrary to media
reports, the caretaker chairman in question was not arrested. He actually
reported himself to the military command in Maiduguri after he got information
that he was needed by the military.
“Secondly, contrary to reports by the media that he
was arrested at the 1,000 housing estate along Maiduguri-Damaturu road, there
was never any issue at all at 1,000 estate. The chairman lives at 505 housing
estate which is located on an entirely different route along Dikwa and Mafa
which is the way to the chairman's office in Mafa. The Chairman actually
reported himself to the military last week and was detained pending the outcome
of ongoing investigations being conducted by the military.
“While we do intend to question the intelligence
gathering, judgment and authority of the military, to us at the Ministry for
Local Government and Emirate Affairs, the whole development is a worrisome
twist. It is a twist because, for years, the caretaker chairman has been known
for his courage in joining hunters at the front line to battle Boko Haram
fighters. His commitment in the fight against insurgents is known to different army
commanders who served in Mafa Local Government Area in the last two years. The
likes of Major Manga can bear testimony to this. It is mainly due to his
passion for the fight against insurgency that he has been successively reappointed as caretaker chairman of Mafa for
renewable term of six months as provided by laws of the state,” the ministry
stated.
Zanna further noted that “the chairman is also
known to champion the course of citizens fleeing from communities after attacks
by insurgents. From information available to the military, the chairman
recently got involved in assisting some citizens trapped in a village within
his local government area, and he is believed to have Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) living in his residence at 505 estate like most adults in
Maiduguri, Jere and parts of Konduga who have fleeing relatives and friends
living with them.
“There is an information that a certain suspected
member of the Boko Haram might have joined some of the citizens he helped last
week but whether he knew the identity of the suspect and deliberately hid him,
and for whatever purpose is what we look forward to being determined by the
military. This investigation is particularly important to us because it affects
the safety and integrity of the ministry. As we acknowledge, it would amount to
siting on a keg of gun powder if anyone dealing with the ministry harbours any
criminal, especially insurgents who have killed our parents, wives, sons and
daughters in addition to sending our families out of their communities to now
live with us in pains.
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