Borno government officials, not Boko Haram, carried out Maiduguri bomb blast, ex-governor Sheriff says

Category: Boko Haram News

The ex-governor was rushed out of Maiduguri.

A former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, who has come under attack since Tuesday’s bomb blast in Maiduguri, has said the outlawed Boko Haram sect is not responsible for the blast.

Mr. Sheriff blamed Borno State government officials and members of his All Progressives Congress, APC, for the blast that is believed to have killed at least 31 people with dozens more injured.

The blast, carried out by a suicide bomber in a pick-up van, occurred at about 1:30 p.m. in the state capital.

Shortly after the incident, angry youth gathered in their hundreds and attacked persons and property linked to Mr. Sheriff. They blamed the ex-governor, who returned to the state over the weekend after a 11-month absence, for the attack. Several cars, and buildings, were damaged and burnt by the youth.

While the rampaging youth went wild, the ex-governor, who was billed to hold an inaugural All Progressives Congress, APC, meeting where interim party officials in the state would be inaugurated, shelved the meeting and left the city. He was accompanied by the state police commissioner and other top security chiefs in the state.

SHERIFF REACTS

In his reaction, Mr. Sheriff blamed officials of the APC in Borno State for being the architect of the blast and coordinated attacks on his property and vehicles of his supporters.

He alleged that the attacks, including the bomb blast, were not the handiwork of the Boko Haram but a plot by his fellow APC politicians to undermine his influence and frustrate his regular visit to the state ahead of 2015.

Mr. Sheriff made this allegation in a statement signed by his Campaign Organisation Chairman, Bako Bunu.

“The bomb blast that rocked Maiduguri the Borno state capital yesterday, was not from the dreaded Islamist Boko Haram sect but an act of arson targeted at former governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who was in the state for a condolence visit,” the spokesperson said.

Mr. Sheriff and the state governor, though members of the APC, are battling to control the party in the state.

“Senator Sheriff sincerely sympathises with all those affected by the bomb blast planted by evil state government officials in Borno who are doing this in the name of scoring cheap and irresponsible political goals.

“The fact that Sheriffs’ property at the old UTC was also targeted was a clear indication that the former governor was the prime target.

“The fact that there had been no bomb incident in Maiduguri for the past 11 months until the former governor visited also gives the impression that the sustained opposition against his visit was a calculated move to stop him.

“It is sad that vehicles bearing Ali Sheriff’s posters were either vandalised or burnt which further points to the fact that Sheriff was the actual target,” Mr. Bunu said.

The statement also made specific accusations against some politicians in the state.

“The bomb which killed about 19 people was the handiwork of a former chairman of the Maiduguri 

Metropolitan Council and another highly placed official of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) who has always been suspected to be the brains behind violent activities in Maiduguri.

“It is an open secret that out of desperation to gain political control of Borno state and out of fear of the growing relevance of Ali Sheriff politically, a group of people has been hiding behind the current insecurity in the state to stop his visit.

“We are aware that the Boko Haram incident was used as an alibi for some people to perpetrate mayhem and distract the attention of the security operatives,” Mr. Bunu said.

“We consider it even childish that highly placed government officials can condescend so low as to instigate thugs against their leaders.

“It is a pity that upon all the good things Sheriff did for Borno state; his reward has been to instigate public anger against him and attempt to link him with terrorist activities,” he said.

WE SUSPECT BOKO HARAM

While Mr. Sheriff absolved the Boko Haram of carrying out the attack, the Army said it believed the outlawed sect was responsible for it.

A Statement from the Headquarters of the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army blamed the blast on Boko Haram terrorists.

Source

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