THE Northern Governors’ Forum has said that the allegation by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya that one of them is the leader of Boko Haram terrorist group should not be swept under the carpet.
Describing the allegation as serious, the governors in a statement issued in Jos on Wednesday, by Dr. Mukut Simon Macham, the Director of Press and Communication Affairs to the Chairman of the forum and Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong, called on security agencies to investigate the allegation.
“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 problems.
“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,” they said.
Mailafia had made the allegation in an interview he granted to an Abuja radio station.
As a result of the allegation, he was invited by Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday and grilled for more than six hours at their Jos, Plateau State office.
When he was released at 6.40pm, Mailafia said, “If I retract anything, I won’t be able to leave this place.
“I am a man of peace, I am not a man of violence.
“I must never give up on Nigeria, if need be, I will die for Nigeria.”
