Boko Haram: Confiscate SAS’s assets, NGO urges FG

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

A non-government organisation in Borno state, Borno Coalition for Good Governance yesterday urged the Federal Government to immediately confiscate all assets belonging to former Borno state governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in order to stop him from influencing his proposed prosecution by the International Court of Crime over alleged involvement in financing the outlawed Boko Haram insurgents.

The organusation was reacting to recent allegation by the Australia hostage negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis that the former governor and former chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika are the major backers of the terrorist group.

The NGO, which said recent revelation was no surprise to people of Borno state, noted that “confiscating all assets belonging to Ali Modu Sheriff in Nigeria, Dubai, China, India and Chad will help to avoid interfering with the investigations of the International Criminal Court through financial inducement,” should be the first step.

A statement, signed by Modu Wulgo and John Ndirbula, the Project Manager and Secretary respectively, said the federal government should be wary of being alleged to be involved in Sheriff’s crime against the people of the country by handing him over to the International Criminal Court for an independent investigation and possible prosecution over his alleged role in the funding of the Boko Haram movement.

The organisation said: “The revelations of the Australian hostage negotiator on Ali Modu Sheriff and General Azubuike Ihejirika did not come to us as a surprise.

This is because there has been several committees set up by the federal government on Boko Haram that has indicted the duo.”

They claimed that “Ali Sheriff’s eight year rule in Borno state was “hell on earth” for the people as his father and wife ganged up to oppress the masses and also looted the treasury.

“It is high time he pays for his crime as he has destroyed so many people and over 15,000 people have lost their lives in the insurgency launched by Boko Haram.”