Fish Out, Prosecute Boko Haram Sponsors – Ijaw Youth, Confab Delegates

Fallen Fence of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Guest House at Bayaran Area in Bauchi State, recently.

The foremost Ijaw youth organisation, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has called on the Federal Government to fish out sponsors of Boko Haram extremists.
The group spoke against the backdrop of incessant terror attack by the terrorist group.
IYC said that it is high time the Federal Government took drastic and far reaching steps against sponsors of terrorism in the country.
The group said that the bomb blast at Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja was an indication that Boko Haram has infiltrated the nation’s seat of power.
The group said that the recent attack has shown that Boko Haram has an agenda to extend its activities to other parts of the country once they succeeded to overrun the North East.
Joining league of people condemning the bomb blast which killed 72 people and injured 164 others, IYC said that it received with utmost disbelief the news of the terrorist attack.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Eric Omare, a lawyer, the group condemn the attack and commiserated with the families of the victims and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
While considering the deadly nature of attack and the implication on the nation’s security, the IYC called on the Federal Government to take drastic and far reaching steps against sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.
The problem of terrorism cannot be resolved without tackling the source of their sponsorship, the group said.
The group added that the sponsors of Boko Haram should be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
It however said that the Federal Government cannot claim ignorance of the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria with all the security apparatus at its disposal.
The statement said; “Government must act decisively irrespective of whose ox is gored and protect the ordinary people of Nigeria”.
“The interest of the generality of Nigerians is over and above the interest of a few power-hungry people who are sponsoring terrorism”.
“The IYC wishes to reiterate its earlier position that the ultimate objective of the sponsors of Boko Haram and terrorism is to make the country ungovernable and forcefully take over the government of Nigeria”.
However, disturbed by the bomb explosion that occurred at the park of the popular ‘El-Rufai’ buses at Nyanyan in Abuja, delegates to the national conference have condemned the activities of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes.
The delegates at plenary on Monday, consequently called for the immediate implementation of the Gaji Galmatiri Committee report which recommended prosecution of some politicians found to be empowering Boko Haram.Modibbo Kawu and 19 other delegates had expressed displeasure over the early Monday bomb explosion and recent killings in other parts of the country.
The motion to condemn the blast did not however go unchallenged as Chief Sergeant Awuse, raised a point of order, arguing that the conference cannot entertain such motion because the delegates were not served with the motion paper ahead of time.
But Femi Falana, countered Awuse’s objection, citing Order 1 rule (2) which says no formalization is required on this issue because it is an issue of urgent National importance.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to immediately commence a process of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas.
Modibo, who led a debate on the motion, lamented that despite the declaration of state of emergency in three North East states, the insecurity in those states continued to escalate.
Similarly, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on the Federal Government to halt the killing of innocent people by the dreaded Boko Haram, saying enough is enough!
Reacting to the Nyanya bomb explosion that claimed no fewer than 72 people on Monday and left over 164 injured, the TUC leadership was appalled at the recent incidents of massacre of many innocent souls by members of the faceless Boko Haram insurgent group.
The TUC President and Secretary, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Comrade Musa Lawal respectively, in a statement said, “It is unfortunate that this incident happened at all, worse still that it happened while the nation was still trying to come to terms with the reported killing of over 210 other people in Gwoza, Dikwa, Kala Balge, and Gambulga towns last Friday and Saturday, and another 60 in Kaigamari and Ngoshe villages, all in Borno State.
“Also grievous is the case of scores of students who were gruesomely killed by the insurgents as they travelled to Borno State to write their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“The congress wonders when this spate of wanton killings would end. When will the culprits be apprehended and made to dance to the music of the law?
How long shall it take for the armed forces, the police and other security agencies to checkmate the hoodlums and re-establish much-desired peace and security in all the trouble spots within the country?
“How many more lives shall be lost on the altar of religious extremism and political chauvinism before the inglorious marauders and their sponsors are brought to their knees? Sooner than later, we certainly do hope! Nigerians are peace-loving and deserve no less”.
The congress says going by media reports on the sophistication of weapons being carried by the insurgents, it is baffled that they are determined to “destroy this nation and its people politically, socially, economically and otherwise. By the grace of God, they must not and shall never succeed!”
It therefore “Implore the federal government and the security forces to buckle up and confront the security challenge head-on. To all intents and purposes the insurgents have declared war on the nation, and there is no reason why they should not be viewed and treated in that light.
“Enough of the political soft talk and double-speak. Enough of the indecisive actions and procrastinations. It is time for the Nigerian armed forces to uncompromisingly give fire for fire in fulfilment of their avowed duty to defend the nation, more so as the insurgents have demonstrated that they only understand the language of violence.
“The intelligence agencies must give the necessary backing with timely information about the insurgents and their operations. Our diplomatic corps should up their acts and enlist full support and co-operation of friendly nations and relevant international agencies.
“And the civil populace should speak out against the wicked affront on our national well-being and refuse to be cowed into deadly silence by it. All hands must be on deck to permanently end this menace called Boko Haram. The eagle that chooses to perch but will not let other eagles do likewise, let its wings break!”
The NLC President, Malam Abduwaheed Omar, said most of the people killed or injured were workers and petty traders.
“This is a very serious issue and we are wondering why the choice of this place. We are highly devastated and feel that government must try to overhaul the security system.
“Something is really wrong and it is high time we started to do things differently in terms of security.
“Nigeria cannot afford to continue to lose people, particularly its workforce, in such magnitude,’’ Omar said.
Meanwhile, police and hospital sources have confirmed yesterday that 72 persons died, while 164 were injured in the bomb blast.
Tambuwal, yesterday visited victims of the Monday bomb blast at the National Hospital, Abuja.
The speaker was conducted round the emergency ward to see the victims by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.
Tambuwal, who condemned the attack, said that the issue was not about any political party, but an attack against the Nigerian people.
He called on leaders to stop playing politics with the issue of insecurity, saying they should collectively work together for the good of the country.
“As leaders in this country, we must all come together and support the government in addressing this challenge.
“We should stop playing politics with issue of insecurity. From what I have seen among the victims, I doubt if they are members of any political party.
“We should stop playing politics, we should address the issue and it is not about any religion.
“It is unfortunate. We must come together. We must rise to the challenge and address it .
“We must all work together as a nation to address the issue of security, we should stop playing politics with security,’’ he said.
Tambuwal, while on the visit, said that he had indicated interest to go to the National Blood Transfusion Centre to donate blood to the victims.
“I call on well-meaning Nigerians who have the capacity to donate blood to please come out and donate blood and whatever is required for the survival of the victims.’’
On what motivated him to donate blood to the victims, the speaker said that he was moved by “humanity in him and by what he saw’’.