Name terror sponsors or be silent, Nigerians tell Buhari

By EJIKEME OMENAZU, Lagos

A public affairs ana­lyst, Dr. Felix Nwosu, is among several Nigerians who have picked holes in President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent allega­tion that some sponsors of terrorism were in the National Assembly.

Like others, Nwosu has wondered why the president could make such a wild allegation when he knew he would not name the suspects.

Buhari, he said, could be rightly accused of hid­ing the suspects from the eyes of the law.

In his 61st Indepen­dence anniversary speech, President Mu­hammadu Buhari stated that some people in the corridors of power, es­pecially in the National Assembly, were among sponsors of terrorism in the country, but he failed, once again, to name the suspects.

The president’s accu­sation has been causing ripples across the coun­try and beyond as law­makers are now being embarrassed at points of entry into other coun­tries.

Nwosu believed that Buhari could not have named the suspected ter­rorism sponsors, as his source of the informa­tion might not be clear or reliable.

He also stressed that the people involved could have been placed under security watch to ensure that there were no doubts about their culpability or involvement.

“But, not being able to mention them when he said he had their names means that he lacks leadership skills.

“That means that he too is hiding enemies of peace and progress in Ni­geria. It is wrong for the names of the National Assembly members to be messed up by the presi­dency the way he did,” he stated.

On the implications of a blanket accusation, Nwosu stated:

“This is a childish style of gover­nance. It shows imma­turity on the side of the Federal Government, pointing at the fact that they do not know what they doing as leaders, who only talk without action.”

On his part, Dr Tunde Elebute, another public affairs commentator and human rights promot­er, said the president knew that if he named the sponsors, his action could have ripple effects in the polity.

According to him, as the president claimed he knew the alleged spon­sors of terrorism in the South East, other people also knew the sponsors of the real terrorists, which are the bandits, the herdsmen carrying Ak-47 and the kidnap­pers.

Elebute, the Deputy Director, Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria (CRIVIFON), Lagos State chapter, stated that it is also possible that Bu­hari’s sources are not credible enough.

Hon. Shakirudeen O. Olofin, former State Chairman, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Lagos State chapter, and the newly elected South West Secretary of the party, in his contribu­tion, maintained that people did not expect the government to make mere speculations with­out proper high level of investigations, where all grey areas would have been cleared before com­ing out with such pro­nouncements.
Speaking on the im­plications of the blanket accusation of unnamed sponsors of South West and South East separat­ists agitators, Odofin said that Nigerians should try as much as possible to do away with ethnicity or ethnic profiling as doing so would do the nation a lot of good.

Let Us Know Boko Haram Sponsors

Chief Ochi Emman­uel Ode, Chairman, the Middle Belt Traditional Council (MBTC) in the South West geo-political zone, expressed worry over why Buhari should come out to fly such a kite about South West and South East.

He said: “The issue of Boko Haram and its activities in Nigeria is more than anyone can think of. Many of the sponsors and command­ers are in government or the corridors of power as being alluded to by some privileged information. Yet, no one has been bold to name them.”

As it stands, analysts maintain that it was wrong for the president to have made allegations that embarrassed the National Assembly by relying on mere specu­lations; a development they believe could jolt the polity. (Sunday Independent)

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