The Northern Governors Forum NGF has called on security agencies in the country to investigate the allegation made by a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Obadiah Mailafia, that a serving northern governor is sponsoring terrorist group, Boko Haram.

Recall that Mailafia during a live interview with a radio station, Nigeria Info on Monday, alleged that the government is the same with the Boko Haram terrorists. He added that the insurgents are plotting to start a civil war in Nigeria by 2022.

“Let me make some revelations because some of us have our internal security networks, we have met with some of the bandits’ high Commanders who have repented, and they told us that one of the Northern Governors is the Commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria,” MailafIa claimed. 

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After the radio interview, the former deputy governor of CBN was invited to the DSS office in Jos, Plateau State on Wednesday, August 12, where he was questioned for about 6 hours before he was released.

Reacting to the allegations, the Northern Governors Forum released a statement through its Director of Press and Public Affairs, Makut Macham, calling for a thorough investigation of MaIlafIa’s claims. 

The NGF which described Mailafia’s allegations as very weighty stated that they have been working with the Federal Government, security agencies, community, civil society, traditional and religious leaders as well as development partners to defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of crimes in the region.

Below is a copy of of the statement released by the Northern Governors Forum. 

“The Northern Governors Forum has called on security agencies to investigate the allegation by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia in which he alleged that “…one of the Northern Governors is the Commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. The Forum is concerned about the weighty allegation made by Dr Mailafia, which must be thoroughly investigated.

“The Forum which has been working with the Federal Government, security agencies, community, civil society, traditional and religious leaders as well as development partners to defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of crimes in the region, finds the allegation by Dr. Mailafia very weighty which deserves further investigation.

“We as Northern Governors have met severally to discuss insecurity in the Northern Region and the nation at large where we did not only condemn the activities of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals, but also engaged the President and all heads of security agencies in finding solutions to the problem.

“To now say that one of our members is leading Boko Haram in Nigeria is a serious allegation that cannot be swept under the carpet. We demand immediate and thorough investigation. I urge Dr. Mailafia and indeed all citizens with useful information on the activities of criminals and terrorist groups to assist security agencies and Governments at all levels with such intelligence for proper action.

“The Forum does not, and will not support the activities of any criminal group, because we as Governors and our families are also not spared as was recently witnessed when the convoy of Governor Babagana Zullum of Borno State was attacked.”