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The Nigerian authorities has claimed they did not
plan prosecute General Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika and Ali Modu Sheriff
based solely on the allegations by Australian negotiator Stephen Davis.
It would be recalled that the confusing story started with the disclosures made by Mr Davis, who had been allegedly hired by President Goodluck Jonathan and had spent 4 months in Nigeria negotiating with Boko Haram commanders on Chibok girls release. The Australian said that ex Chief of Army Staff Ihejirika and the former Borno State governor Modu Sheriff were one of major insurgency sponsors in the country. According to Davis, several Boko Haram commanders provided this information personally to him.
Following a series of reports and interviews with the expert, the Nigerian officials yesterday responded to his statements saying that the government had not hired the Australian as a negotiator at all however vowed to investigate the allegations concerning Ihejirika and Sheriff.
The coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mike Omeri insisted:
It would be recalled that the confusing story started with the disclosures made by Mr Davis, who had been allegedly hired by President Goodluck Jonathan and had spent 4 months in Nigeria negotiating with Boko Haram commanders on Chibok girls release. The Australian said that ex Chief of Army Staff Ihejirika and the former Borno State governor Modu Sheriff were one of major insurgency sponsors in the country. According to Davis, several Boko Haram commanders provided this information personally to him.
Following a series of reports and interviews with the expert, the Nigerian officials yesterday responded to his statements saying that the government had not hired the Australian as a negotiator at all however vowed to investigate the allegations concerning Ihejirika and Sheriff.
Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika
“For now, the Federal Government of Nigeria have not appointed
anyone to negotiate on its behalf with the Boko Haram sect, anytime it
decides to do so, the Federal Government will make it known to the
public. On the various allegations made by the alleged negotiator, the
Federal Government is still investigating it, whatever should be done
rightly will be done but there is no plan to probe any Nigerian for
now.”
Reacting to the accusation, Ali Modu Sheriff vowed to sue the Australian calling his claims baseless. However Davis did not seem to be bothered with the possible legal proceeding. Moreover, he urged for it saying:
“Good luck to him if he decides to sue me in Australia. He can’t buy the judges here. Truth is not for sale. Australia has zero toleration for those who might sponsor terrorism.”
Meanwhile Nigerian human rights lawyer Femi Falana also insisted on Sheriff’s involvement in sponsoring Boko Haram and referred to the findings of the investigation panel
previously set up to discover roots of terrorism in the country. Falana
additionally disclosed that ex-governor was arrested in 2012 by
Cameroonian security:
“In October 2012, Sheriff was arrested in Cameroon on crime committed by the Boko Haram he sponsored. The state government pleaded with the Cameroonian government to release him because he is a well known man here and he cannot be arrested.”
Reacting to the accusation, Ali Modu Sheriff vowed to sue the Australian calling his claims baseless. However Davis did not seem to be bothered with the possible legal proceeding. Moreover, he urged for it saying:
“Good luck to him if he decides to sue me in Australia. He can’t buy the judges here. Truth is not for sale. Australia has zero toleration for those who might sponsor terrorism.”
Ali Modu Sheriff. Photo: saharareporters.com
“In October 2012, Sheriff was arrested in Cameroon on crime committed by the Boko Haram he sponsored. The state government pleaded with the Cameroonian government to release him because he is a well known man here and he cannot be arrested.”
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