Boko Haram, ISWAP Sponsors: Buhari’s Govt Accused Of Having ‘Skeletons In Cupboard’
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been accused of withholding the names of Nigerians accused of funding Boko Haram, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other terrorist organisations in the country.
According to NEWS DIRECT, the Buhari-led government has announced the arrest of those allegedly financing terrorism and wreaking devastation across the country, notably in the Northeast.
On October 1, 2021, President Buhari said that an anonymous member of the National Assembly and other individuals were funding terrorism, including the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB.
Despite cries from Nigerians seeking the arrest and prosecution of the suspected financiers, DAILY POST can confirm that four months later, the names of the purported sponsors have yet to be made public.
During a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced that 123 firms and 96 terrorist financiers had been identified, including those supporting Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP.
In response, Emmanuel Onwubuko, the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, accused the Buhari administration of hiding the names of the alleged sponsors in an interview with DAILY POST on Friday.
HURIWA claimed that the Federal Government is not serious about addressing insecurity in Nigeria, claiming that the government possesses Nigerians’ data and should be able to find the suspected financiers.
He said, “The secrecy surrounding the unveiling of the identities of the terrorism sponsors is a pointer to the fact that some persons in government are into something that they don’t want Nigerians to know. Nigerians have the right to know those who have made life very unfortunate for them for more than a decade.
“The government has skeletons in its cupboard and that is why they keep violating the rights of Nigerians to know the sponsors of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. This is why they are after radio stations and other media platforms, trying to silence the voice of Nigerians.
“The attorney general of the federation once told Nigerians that they have compiled over 400 names of some terrorists and have charged them to court, where is that case and what is the status of that matter?”, Onwubiko asked
Recall that a former Police Commissioner, Emmanuel Ojukwu, had asked the federal government to stop making mere media announcements of the existence of sponsors of terrorism but have them arrested and prosecuted.
While featuring on Channels Television on Thursday, the ex-police boss said, “To finance terrorism is a criminal offence, the laws are there, activate the legal process and get them arrested”.
According to him, the FG should stop disturbing Nigerians with the news of discovery but should come up with the identities of the alleged sponsors.
