Groups demand protection for businessman allegedly targeted by Boko Haram

By JOKE FALAJU, Abuja

A Coalition of Civil Society Groups has raised an alarm over the continued onslaught by the Boko Haram terrorists on the President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Real Estate Investors and Financial Services, Chief Anslem Gbemudu, following insinuations that he was instrumental to the death of their leader, Mohammed Yusuf in 2009

The Islamic sect since 2009 had masterminded several attempts to eliminate Gbemudu’s life, execute his family and destroy all his engagements within the shores of Nigeria adding that they also have placed surveillance to inform them of his stepping into Nigeria for his most eminent assassination making the California-based businessman and the United States Defense Logistics contractor survived death by the whiskers in 2009 escaped back to his base in the USA.

The group in a statement signed by Convener Initiative For Social Progress International David Yusuf, Co-Convener Nigeria National Coalition for Democracy and Good Governance Abbah Michael Co-Convener Mass Movement for a New Nigeria, Dansirja Ibraheem Hamza, recalled that the USA Army Veteran and Nigerian citizen of one of the most respected royal families in Delta State have domiciled and gathered sufficient knowledge on the management of top profile security confrontations in the United States.

“He saw reason to, in the wake of the security concerns in Nigeria, to come back home and deploy his intellectual and professional acumen to dissuading the minds of younger Nigerians particularly in the higher institutions of learning in Northern Nigeria who were hypnotized with distorted Qur’anic teachings by Mohammed Yusuf, his cohorts and hirelings.”

“To check the negative and rapidly growing evil agenda and influence Mohammed Yusuf was exerting using religion to convert sincere Muslims into terrorists, Chief Anslem Gbemudu in 2008 and 2009 embarked on a mission to neutralise the ideas of Islamic extremism and warfare that was been inculcated at that time. He recorded monumental success in disarming the grip of inordinate religious teachings on young and innocent Muslims who later refuted Mohammed Yusuf and his representations.”

“With Mohammed’s death in 2009 following an unsuccessful attempt to evade police custody, members of his sect drew illogical conclusions that Chief Anslem Gbemudu could not be extricated of blameworthiness to the ill fate of their acclaimed spiritual leader.”

They pointed out that the inordinate plot on that has lingered unhindered for many years is unreasonable, unfounded, unjustifiable, vexatious, malignant and a malicious affront to the inalienable rights of Gbemudu and the development of the nation and deserves to be condemned by all.

According to them, Gbemudu is a veteran and pathfinder whose commitment and traces of positive impact to redefining the chequered history of Nigeria’s political, ethnic and religious struggles ought to be given a nod and celebrated adding that his intellectual savvy and administrative ingenuity is ostensibly engraved on the consciences of those he rescued from religious hypnotism

“Gbemudu is one of the few Nigerians whose national and international concern for the cause of the minority ethnicities of Nigeria has remained undeterred and dogged. His relished for fairness, equity, unity, peace, progress and social justice has endured a three-decade test of veracity examined by threats and attempted assassination. In the interest of the Nigerian State and its peoples, we state without circumlocutions that we hold him dear to our hearts and in the highest esteem. An affront to him is an affront to the civil liberties of the innocent citizens of Nigeria.

They noted that Gbemudu is a model of a true Nigerian armed with the deep historical knowledge, the requisite experience and the introspective capability to advance the cause of the welfare and aspirations of the people. He deserves as we have long accorded him, utmost commendation and national protection. We, therefore, pledge our unalloyed loyalty to him and the commendable leadership strides he has taken in the interest of all.

According to them, “Gbemudu, in his statesmanly disposition has contributed and is contributing fairly to the development of the Nation and should be applauded rather than insulted and sought to be persecuted. Our profound fear is the inability of the Government of Nigeria to protect and avert harm from coming his way as the Government continues to fail to contain Boko Haram that has indeed metamorphosed into the only feely armed citizens of Nigeria the cattle rearers that are disseminating and spreading into all areas of Nigeria with the core purpose of islamizing the entire Country into an Islamic caliphate by force.” (The Guardian)