Ex-Borno Governor created Boko Haram – Gen Useni

ABUJA- THE Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd) yesterday gave an insight into the emergence of the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram, saying that the group used to function as a political thuggery cell to a former governor of Borno State.

 President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by the Chairman Arewa Consultative Forum, Lt. Gen Jerry Useni and Vice President Namadi Sambo (2l) while others watched during a meeting with the Presidency and the Northern Leaders at the State House, Abuja.

The retired army general who spoke with State House correspondents, after separate meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo also supported the use of force by the Nigeria Army to flush out Boko Haram, saying that "like in war, the soldiers must be working on information on the Boko Haram. Innocent ones would definitely be killed in the process of trying to dislodge the Boko Haram members from their base".

This is just as the leadership of the ACF called for the convocation of a Northern Peace Summit to discuss and proffer possible solution to the menace of the Islamic sect, currently ravaging the region.

Gen. Useni disclosed that he had earlier warned the former governor against the use of thugs during election, saying that like in Rivers state where thuggery gave birth to militancy, Boko Haram used to be a political thug group; but later metamorphosed into a terror entity.

National problem

His words: "Just like the Boko Haram issue, it started like a Borno affair but now it is becoming a national problem. I remember when I was the Deputy National Chairman of the ANPP, I went to the state (Borno) to commission some projects and when we were driving along one of the major streets, I saw young boys selling petrol in jerry cans and I asked him (the governor), why he allowed them to be selling on a major road like that, and he said, "no, no, leave them they are very useful, during the general elections, we can use them to turn everywhere."

"So, it means they were used during the elections. So, that was how it all started. And if you remember, we had the same problem again in Rivers State where one of the former governors used thugs and at the end of it, they became militants. So, there is always reason for something", he said.

The ACF, Chairman attributed the emergence of Boko Haram to bad leadership and political thuggery but suggested a summit, as a way out. He said: "There are lots of things responsible for all these and the best way is for us to sit down and tell ourselves the truth".

According to him, it is for this reason that the ACF is organising Arewa Peace Conference in December this year; stressing that "all the governors will come so that we will sit and talk and our monitoring group will follow up".

Legislative powers

He noted that "as an organisation, that is all we can do since we have no legislative powers. But for now, we are going to start something before the conference", warning that "it is not enough to be issuing statements like 'Boko Haram your days are numbered or Boko Haram you are this or that. We need to look at it in-depth" .

While blaming the Boko Haram saga on governments of the affected states who have resorted to thuggery as a means to wining elections, Gen. Useni believed that "good governance will reduce the menace. I mean good government at all levels" .

He observed that "no matter how good a government at the top is, some politicians at the state and local governments will abdicate their responsibilities and divert public funds meant for infrastructure development to fund their political ambition".

Asked why they were in Aso Rock, the ACF boss said, "we are in the State House to congratulate the President. Since the elections, we have not come as a group to congratulate. We feel that we should come as a group to greet him and give him our respect".

And on the issues discussed during the meetings, he disclosed that "in my speech, I touched on the issue of insecurity and that we as an organisation condemn violence in whatever form and our position is that we should always try to seek redress through normal processes".

He added that "we just came out from the Vice President’s office where he told us all they are doing as a government to redress the problem. We have agreed that there are Nigerians even within ACF that have been trained in security matters and we, as a group, will send a small team to come and discuss with him and find out the best we think can be done to handle the problem".

Besides, he noted that the ACF abhors the use of violence in whatever form; saying, "we believe there are due processes through which we can voice our complaints. So, why should we kill to satisfy our grievances? So, the more we condemn this, the better for us; not for some people to go and sit-down and be saying 'good for them"

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, DANIEL IDONOR, NDAHI MARAMA, Oscarline Onwuemenyie & Fredrick Okopi