The Borno Elders Forum yesterday said all the persons being fingered in the controversial theft of funds meant to purchase arms for soldiers combating insurgency in northeast Nigeria are the real sponsors of Boko Haram.

The group said President Muhammadu Buhari should not waste his time searching for those funding Boko Haram as the arms deal controversy had uncovered those to be punished for all the destruction in the north east.

The Borno elders made this comment in a statement signed by their chairman, Ambassador Gaji Galtimari.

They said: “Much has been said about the sponsors of Boko Haram. With the horrifying revelations about the ‘Arms Deal’, it is no longer necessary to continue delaying the search for the real sponsors of Boko Haram. Those who collected such huge sums of money from the national treasury and converted same for their unending greed and avarice should be regarded as part and parcel of the sponsors of Boko Haram. Get them and you will get the rest.

“The people who sponsored the activities of Boko Haram or those who deliberately turned away from their official responsibilities on security issues, or those who looted the funds meant for the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram, and those who spoke or continue to speak in their favour are all one and the same.

“They all individually and collectively aided and sponsored the Boko Haram insurgency. They colluded to ensure the death of our brave soldiers, our innocent people and the near total destruction of our society. Nigerians should stand by us and collectively assist to bring those responsible to book. “

The elders, who had been a strong critical voice at the way and manner the former government went about prosecuting the Boko Haram insurgency, said the revelations coming from the arms deal scandal had vindicated them.

“Since the outbreak of the Boko Haram uprising in 2009 to date, the Borno Elders Forum had been voicing out at every critical stage of the crisis, proffering possible ways of addressing very critical security and social issues.

“However, until the advent of the current government under President Muhammadu Buhari, we were ignored. We are somehow relieved that not only the present government but the generality of our Nigerian compatriots are now showing great understanding and compassion on our sorry state of existence.”

While the group expressed grateful to President Buhari and the patriotic armed forces of Nigeria “for the turn of events in our land,” it stated its concern and betrayed by some Nigerians who seem to justify the killings and suffering heaped on inhabitants of the affected region.

“The massive killing of our people, the wholesome destruction of our settlements, the massive humanitarian crisis faced by over two million internally displaced persons, the creation of hundreds of thousands of widows and orphans and so on, seem to be of no consequence to some Nigerians,” he lamented.

“It does not speak well of any Nigerian, for whatever reason, to fight or criticize the President of Nigeria or call our anti–corruption agencies names when they simply want to make offenders pay for the crimes most of them have confessed to have committed.

“We feel hurt and betrayed that some Nigerians are politicizing this despicable issue of ‘Arms Deal.’ People are rushing to our courts of law to manipulate the law, taking cover under the canopy of the constitution and misinterpreted human rights dicta to confuse the nation. Even the constitution itself has balanced interests of people against the interest of individuals. In this case, the interest of the victims should prevail when it comes to justice.

“Let those Nigerians know that thousands of Nigerians perished due to the misuse of funds meant for security, not only the ‘Arms Deal’ case but several other instances before it. Playing politics with those issues is to condone the loss of lives and the destruction of our livelihood,” the elders’ group said.

Gbengais:


You're so dumb, you don't even know it

coolzeal:
[s]Any attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the North.. Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari is a terrorist .. El Rufai.

The million dollar question is.. Who started Boko Haram and for what purpose?[/s]

Aufbauh:
"Anywhere you see the hausa-fulani and yoruba man kill them, they are our enemies, bla bla bla" - Nnamdi Kanu

Nnamdi Kanu is a terrorist - Aufbauh

Aufbauh:
"Anywhere you see the hausa-fulani and yoruba man kill them, they are our enemies, bla bla bla" - Nnamdi Kanu

Nnamdi Kanu is a terrorist - Aufbauh

coolzeal:
This has nothing to do with tribalism or whatsoever but it seems like Nigeria arm forces are doing the killings of unarmed protesters and Shiite, and you should know the Igbo's has lost more souls in this nation than any other tribe. Lets be factual with no sentiments or emotion attached. I don't advocate for violence and I think human life is precious and priceless.

Mutuwa:


Bros,It is very easy to fool people,than to convince them that they are been fooled.There are investors in terrorism and really the government knows who..

coolzeal:
Someone said "Monkeys and Baboons will soaked in blood".. Apparently it worked as lives-properties was destroyed and people kept silent. Nigerians are full of hypocrites and liars.

coolzeal:
This has nothing to do with tribalism or whatsoever but it seems like Nigeria arm forces are doing the killings of unarmed protesters and Shiite, and you should know the Igbo's has lost more souls in this nation than any other tribe. Lets be factual with no sentiments or emotion attached. I don't advocate for violence and I think human life is precious and priceless.

Aufbauh:
I will have agreed with your humanitarian posture but you betrayed that when you intentionally derailed from the borno elder's logic of calling for prosecution of those involved in the arms deal as direct or indirect causal of the humanitarian damage in the North East.
Moreso, your informations are disjointed and incoherent with a mischievous ethno-religious intent.

coolzeal:
Anybody or anyone involved in the arms deal should be dealt with according to the law. In fact, it's a crime against humanity and we should all suggest an open-court hearing shown live on all TV stations. Also, everyone who has stolen from the common wealth of this nation should be persecuted too(1960 till date). I'm all for a fight against corruption no matter who is involved.

kachnov:
k