Sect’s activities preceded Jonathan’s govt – Aliyu

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna & Elizabeth Embu

Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has said that the activities of the Boko Haram sect, preceded President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the sect was not aimed at frustrating the 2015 bid of the President.

Aliyu made the remarks yesterday at the 2014 National Conference of Directors of Planning, Research and Statistics (DPRS) held at JLK International Conference Centre in Minna.

“Boko Haram did not start with President Goodluck Jonathan, and it is not aimed at stopping Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election”, Aliyu said.

He revealed that the activities of the dreaded sect started as far back as the 1990’s in Yobe state and that since then it has been escalating because of lack of political will to stop the sect from wreaking havoc on Nigerians.

The governor also said that the activities of Boko Haram were different from those of the Niger Delta militants, calling on Nigerians to shun sentiment and face the issues of terminating the activities of the sect to restore peace in the country.

Aliyu described the sect as a ‘social malaise’ that had hit the north, and caused serious debate among various Islamic scholars.

While calling on the Presidency to look properly into the letters of agreements it signed with other countries helping in the fight against the sect, Aliyu called on the Jonathan led administration to ensure that the foreign allies over stay their period of operations in the country.

He also castigated those that have been criticizing the rebasing of the country’s economy, saying the rebasing of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was not a gimmick by government but an accurate statistical data of the development of the national economy.