Terrorism sponsors: Northern youth group fails to make do threat, as 14-day ultimatum to Buhari govt elapses

[By VICTOR NZE]

Northern youths, under the aegis of the Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have failed to make do their threat to shut down or occupy state government houses in the region following the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum to the President Muhammadu Buhari government to release names of alleged sponsors of terrorism in the country.

This is also as the Federal Government has yet to name the said sponsors despite the threat of the NYCN, added to the demand by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to identify the sponsors believed to be known by the Buhari administration.

Only on Monday, the UAE moved ahead to name six Nigerians alleged to be sponsoring activities the terrorist group, Boko Haram, excluding one person, who the UAE government had asked the Buhari administration to identify.

The UAE had earlier accused an official of the Nigerian government of sponsoring the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The Emirate authorities are yet to release the name of the official, amidst reports that some people in Nigeria are mounting diplomatic pressure not to publish the name.

The six Nigerians whose names were published on Monday are said to have schemed to establish fake companies with the intention of raising funds for the Boko Haram terrorist organization.

The Nigerians placed on the watch list include; Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad.

It would be recalled that on Thursday, August 26, the NYCN had given President Buhari and his government a 14-day ultimatum to publish the names of those in his administration said to be sponsoring the insurgent group, Boko Haram and other acts of terrorism in the country.

However, over 19 days since the August 26^th 14-day ultimatum by the NYCN to President Buhari and his government to publish the names of those in his administration said to be sponsoring the insurgent group, Boko Haram and other acts of terrorism in the country, nothing has been seen by way of fulfilling the threat of occupying government houses in the north, neither has the government budged in releasing the names of terrorism sponsors.

The ultimatum was sequel to allegations leveled by a retired Military Intelligence expert who claimed that the Federal Government of President Buhari is fully aware of the identities of those financing terror in the country.

NYCN, in a statement by its President, Isah Abubakar, Thursday, August 26, warned that failure to release the sponsors’ names by the Federal Government will leave the group with no other choice than to make the Buhari government ‘face the consequences.’

It would be recalled that a Military Intelligence expert, Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (rtd), had while featuring as a guest on the Channels TV morning programme, ‘Sunrise Daily, recently accused the present government of Nigeria of shielding known sponsors of terrorism and financially backing Boko Haram insurgents, as he further lamented that efforts to prosecute them have been blocked by serving members of the Buhari administration.

According to Olawunmi, a Professor of Intelligence and Global Security Studies, some of the sponsors are presently state governors and senators in the Buhari administration, who were identified and profiled, but are yet to be prosecuted.

Olawunmi further disclosed that he was member of a Committee that ‘interrogated a senior member of this government on Boko Haram related issues.’

“In April this year, the government said they had arrested 400 Bureau De Change (BDCs)-related people that were sponsoring Boko Haram. They told us.

“Try them, we know them. Why can’t this government, if not that they are partisan, why can they bring those people out for trial?” Olawunmi asked.

Referencing his time as a member of the military intelligence team in 2017, Olawunmi noted that there are some things he cannot disclose to the public.

“I can’t come on air and start mentioning names of people that are presently in government that the boys we arrested mentioned. Some of them are governors now. Some of them are in the Senate. Some of them are in Aso Rock,” Olawunmi said.

Reacting to Olawunmi comments, NYCN in its statement further told Buhari to sack the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, saying that he was ‘the first brought the issue of the sponsors of insecurity to the public with the promise of unveiling their identity but failed to do so.’

According to the NYCN, the AGF ’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 the custody of our security agents or have probably regained their freedom.’

The Northern youth group also noted that ‘there can’t be peace without justice, hence, the office of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation should be occupied by a proactive and more intelligent person other than the snail-paced and docile Malami.’

They berated the present security situation in the country where ‘poor Northerners are the victims of terrorism and banditry,’ positing that ‘any attempt to further shield the identity of the Bureau De Change operators financing the spilling of the blood of our brothers will be meted with massive protest.’

Further reacting to the development, in its statement, therefore, the NYCN  noted that ‘the weighty allegation if not properly treated, via deliberate government action is capable of further polarising Nigeria, which is faced with different cessation agitations.’

It subsequently announced a 14-day ultimatum to Buhari and his government, warning that if the ultimatum is not met, the group will lead its members to ‘occupy the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.’

“By this, the Council is serving the government a 14-day pre-protest notice. Failure to unveil the identity of the sponsors of the killers of our brothers and sisters, we shall have no other alternative but to occupy the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory until our demands are met.”