Borno State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Usman Ali Zanna, yesterday, described reports about the arrest of Chairman of Mafa Local Government Area, Shettima Mafa, over alleged Boko Haram connections as ‘a very worrisome twist.’


He said contrary to media reports, the chairman was not arrested but, rather, he reported himself to the military.

Usman Ali Zanna also said the chairman was known as someone, who for years, worked closely with hunters and military commanders in Mafa against Boko Haram.

Zanna, however, said his Ministry neither questions the judgment and authority of the military nor exonerates the chairman of any wrongdoing in order not to pre-empt the ongoing investigation.

According to him, “if not for media reports on this matter, the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, which oversees the affairs of the 27 local government areas in Borno State, would have preferred not to make public comment on a matter that is still being investigated by the military establishment.

“First, contrary to media reports that the caretaker chairman in question was not arrested, he reported himself to the military command in Maiduguri after he got information that he was needed by the military.

“Secondly, contrary to reports by the media that he was arrested at the 1,000 Housing Estate along Maiduguri-Damaturu Road, he lives at 505 Housing Estate, located along Dikwa and Mafa: the way to the Chairman’s office in Mafa.”

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He is already tied like a pig at 105 Special Forces Battalion