SAN FRANCISCO, January 02, (THEWILL) – Borno State Government has declared that the Chairman of Mafa local government area of the state, Shettima Lawan, reported by some media to have been arrested in connection with link with the terrorist group, Boko Haram, was false.
According to a statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs in the state, Hon. Usman Zanna, the council boss offered himself to the military to assist in the ongoing investigations on one of the kingpins of the insurgency group.
Zanna said he was surprised about the twist in the case, revealing that the detained Chairman is someone who had worked closely with hunters and military commanders for years in Mafa to lead the community fight against Boko Haram.
“The Ministry neither questions the judgment and authority of the military nor exonerates the Chairman of any wrongdoing in order not to pre-empt the outcome of ongoing investigation,” he said.
“If not because of media reports on this matter, the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs which oversees the affairs of the 27 local government areas in Borno State, would have preferred not to make public comment over a matter that is still being investigated by our competent and patriotic military establishment involved in the fight against Boko Haram.
“It has become necessary that this statement is issued in order to put some records straight. First of all, contrary to media reports, the caretaker chairman in question was not arrested. He actually reported himself to the military command in Maiduguri after he got information that he was needed by the military.
“Secondly, contrary to reports by the media that he was arrested at the 1,000 Housing Estate along Maiduguri-Damaturu road, there was never any issue at all at 1,000 Estate. The Chairman lives at 505 Housing Estate which is located on an entirely different route, along Dikwa and Mafa which is the way to the Chairman’s office in Mafa.
“The Chairman actually reported himself to the military last week and was detained pending the outcome of ongoing investigations being conducted by the military. While we do not intend to question the intelligence gathering, judgment and authority of the military, to us at the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, the whole development is a worrisome twist.
“It is a twist because, for years, the caretaker chairman has been known for his courage in joining hunters to go into front lines to battle Boko Haram fighters. His commitment in the fight against insurgents is known to different Army Commanders that served in Mafa local government area in the last two years.
“The likes of Major Manga can bear testimony to this. It is mainly due to his passion for the fight against insurgency that he has been successively reappointed as caretaker Chairman of Mafa for renewable term of six months as provided by laws of Borno State. The Chairman is also known to champion the course of citizens fleeing from communities after attacks by insurgents.
“From information available to the military, the Chairman recently got involved in assisting some citizens trapped in a village within his local government area and he is believed to have Internally Displaced Persons living in his residence at 505 Housing Estate like most adults in Maiduguri, Jere and parts of Konduga do have fleeing relatives and friends living with them.
“There is an information that a certain suspected member of the Boko Haram might have joined some of the citizens he helped last week but whether he knew the identity of the suspect and deliberately hid him and for whatever purpose is what we look forward to being determined by the military.
“This investigation is particularly important to us because it affects the safety and integrity of the Ministry. As we acknowledge, it would amount to seating on a keg of gun powder if anyone dealing with the Ministry, involves in harbouring any criminal, especially insurgents that have killed our parents, wives, sons and daughters in addition to sending our families out of their communities to now live with us in pains.”
Story by Oputah David
