Written by Yemi Bamidele, Ibadan Wednesday, 02 May 2012 14:16

Former Minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has exonerated leaders of the northern region of the country of having conspiratorial links with the activities of the Boko Haram sect, as being generally speculated.

El-Rufai, while delivering the 2012 May Day lecture rganized by the Silver Knights Club, Ibadan at the Lead City University, Ibadan on Tuesday however advocated the restoration of true federalism embedded in the 1963 Republican Constitution saying this is the only way out of the wave of insurgency of terrorism and corruption ravaging the nation.

In his lecture entitled "Between Terrorism and Corruption: Implications for Nigeria", the former minister stated that the present structure in which the states relied on the federal allocation would move the country nowhere.

El-Rufai maintained that even though the identity of the Boko Haram sect could not be determined as they secretly live among the people, "against the popular belief, there is no conspiracy between the northern leaders and the Boko Haram."

"I know this because I relate with all the leaders including General Yakubu Gowon and I have asked them questions. If they are part of the conspiracy, I will say it, you know me", the former minister declared pointedly.

To buttress his argument, he remarked that many people are against the nefarious activities of these faceless people emphasizing that it was people around in Kaduna that apprehended a man that threw bomb and handed him over to the police.

But he said that "many northerners, particularly from Maiduguri and Kano, appeared sympathetic to the acts of the fundamentalists because many of their relations, who knew nothing about the crime had been killed by soldiers."

"I must tell you that military men have killed too many innocent people, particularly in Maiduguri and Kano, that sometimes when the Boko Haram attack anywhere, some youths were seen jubilating. Even, my wife has lost some relations. Many families have lost relations to the wanton killing of many innocent people on the streets," El-Rufai stated in reaction to an observation by a guest.

El-Rufai divided the Boko Haram group into three: the Boko Haram original, Criminal Boko Haram and Security Boko Haram and remarked that the phenomenon of Boko Haram actually evolved from political thuggery, corrupt tendencies of people in power and the greed on the part of a few who have continued to lord it over the helpless majority.

The former minister however expressed concern that the federal government seemed to be lacking the competence and capability to curtail the menace of the Boko Haram as recent events have shown.

He urged the government to desist from rewarding criminals through amnesty programme as, according to him, "by doing so, you are embolding them to further commit crimes"

Speaking further, El-Rufai stated that even though the demands of the Boko Haram sect were not known yet, the federal government should endeavour to "work with community leaders in Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna states to identify interlocutors that would enable honest discussions with Boko Haram to establish what they really want. The arrest and prosecution of those that murdered their leaders would certainly be one demand, but there may be others that the government knows but would not want us to know".

According to the former minister, "there is no where in the world where insurgencies like Boko Haram have been defeated purely through military force and occupation. The government that has the responsibiilty for our security must bend over backwards to deliver it. If they continue to fail in this regard, they will not be in government for too long."www.dailytrust.com

This is one of the sponsporer

Yes, he's right. The NSA said it all. It's pdp according to our NSA.

Good talk.if you must know the people of the SE and SS are not buying this,because of over brainwashing to defend the government of GEJ!the lack of honesty is what has denied us a lasting solution to the security woes.You know the sponsor yet can't prosecute them.You also claim to know the issues,yet choose to remain mute until enough deaths.Even the suspects always are questionable,as they smell of political manipulation by the agents of GEJ.As soon the suspects quiet down over issues or accept GEJ alpha role in PDP.All is forgiven and the victims denied justice.

El rufia should save this putrid rant for the marines who will likely believe him. Aside from the fact that most Nigerians are sympathetic to the President in view of the fact that the boko haram monster was armed and urged on by the Northern elites in response to power loss, the Northern leaders who El Rufia so mischievously defends will turn their noses at El Rufia because they don't believe in what he is saying.
The northern elites threatened to make Nigeria (perhaps northern) ungovernable should they lose power, today we are witnessing death and destruction, but this foul mouthed Rufia would want to distract us from reality of their utterances! He should sell his story to the birds. Intelligent Nigerians know that the Northern leaders and their people are complicit in these blood lust and letting!

This hollow speaking rufia clown should tell us where the Northern leaders were when their foot soldiers descended and massacre, in cold blood, innocent youth corpers post 2011 elections.

On which ground does Rufia stand - negotiate with boko haram he scream yesterday, today he is saying something different. What is it with sly snakes and chameleons - Always changing form?
Rufia and his co traveller are double mouthed evil schemers who intend to benefit from the blood of the innocent. But this will never happen as the blood of the dead will haunt them in every step they take. And one last thing, those who house, and nurture sinister monsters are eventually consumed by them. Soon Boko will be isolated and rejected even by their sponsors for fear or profit, then will they strike their benefactors like cornered animal. So shall it be!