Northern Youths Council of Nigeria give Buhari 14 days to reveal identity of terrorism sponsors

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been given 14 days to unveil the identity of the sponsors of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa (Iswap)  after a former military intelligence officer revealed that the government has all this information.

Yesterday, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, a retired naval officer and a professor of intelligence and global security studies, alleged that he was member of a committee that interrogated a senior member of this government on a Boko Haram related issue. Speaking on Sunrise Daily a flagship programme of Channels Television, Commodore Olawunmi revealed that President Buhari is fully aware of who these sponsors are and many of them are in his government.

Seizing on the information, the Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has given the federal government 14 days to unveil the identity of these sponsors of the killers. It added that should the government fail to do so, they would occupy the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

In addition, the NYCN asked President Buhari to sack Abubakar Malami, the justice minister and attorney-general for not doing anything to prosecute members of Boko Haram and Iswap that have been arrested. In addition, NYCN pointed out that the minister had failed to prosecute over 400 Bureau de Change operators funding the terrorists that are either in the custody of the security agents or have regained their freedom.

NYCN president, Isah Abubakar, said: “The council wish to call on Mr President to immediately sack Mr Abubakar Malami who first brought the issue of the sponsors of insecurity to public with the promise of unveiling their identity but failed to do so, which has led to this embarrassing and weighty allegation of sectionalism against the government. We believe strongly that the attorney-general is not doing much in prosecuting Boko Haram and Iswap elements that have been arrested and the over 400 Bureau de Change Operators that are either in custody of our security agents or have probably regained their freedom.”

Commodore Olawunmi had revealed that in April this year, the government said they had arrested 400 Bureau De Change people that were sponsoring Boko Haram. According to the NYCN, poor northerners are the victims of terrorism and banditry and any attempt to further shield the identity of the Bureau De Change Operators will be meted with massive protests.

Mr Abubakar said that the weighty allegation, if not properly treated, via deliberate government action, was capable of further polarising the country. He added that there cannot be peace without justice, stressing that the office of the attorney-general should be occupied by a proactive and more intelligent person.