Headline

Who Is the Boko Haram Commander?

Published

6 years ago

August 14, 2020

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADP) in the 2019 general elections, Dr Mailafia Obadiah, buzzed the Nigerian political and security landscape penultimate Tuesday, when he alleged during a live radio interview that a serving Northern governor is the commander and sponsor of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

There are 19 known northern governors, and so the question, who is Dr. Obadiah referring to? Who is the commander of the Boko Haram sect.

Founded in Maiduguri in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in 2009, Boko Haram, a deadly organisation, known for it guerrilla war-like activities has since been led by Abubakar Shekau and recently by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi after a splinter group supposedly emerged.

According to Wikipedia, when Boko Haram was first formed, their actions were nonviolent. Their main goal was to purify Islam in northern Nigeria. However, after the death of Yusuf, the group became violent and highly radicalised with increasingly sophisticated attacks, initially against soft targets, but progressing in 2011 to include suicide bombings of police buildings and the United Nations office in Abuja. The group is credited with the deaths of tens of thousands of people, displacement of about 2.3 million others, mass abductions including the Chibok saga of April 2014 where over 276 school children were taken.

Since March 2015, the group has been aligned with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and was at one time the world’s deadliest terror group according to the Global Terrorism Index. In September of the same year, the Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters announced that all Boko Haram camps had been destroyed, much as attacks from the group continued unabated, in addition to President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration in 2019 of the group being “technically defeated”. The attacks have not ceased however, but have escalated to a wider proportion.

In the midst the terrorism, speculations have been rife about who is behind the terror group just as accusing fingers have been pointed at some key personnel. Earlier, a former Anglican clergyman, Stephen Davis, blamed a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, saying he initially supported them, but no longer needed them after the 2007 elections and stopped funding them. There is also Senator Ali Ndume, who was accused. Both men however denied the accusations.

Presently, the likes of Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, have come under fire over alleged fraternity with the terror group. The suspicion placed on Rufai was made manifest owing to his revelation in 2016 that he paid herdsmen to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna. He explained that the perpetrators of the killings foreign herdsmen who suffered losses during the post 2011 election crisis. According to him, they came back for revenge, and at the end of the day demanded compensation, for which he paid.

Fast forwarding to present, Obadiah’s allegation opened yet another can of worms. Reports did not substantiate his claims with the names of the supposed sponsor of the sect. However, he narrowed his accusation to 19 men including: Aminu Masari (Katsina), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Bello Matawalle.

The case, according to a human rights activist, who craved anonymity, is like the case of someone will betray the Lord, and the twelve disciples are confused among themselves, asking “Lord, is it I?”

The jittery governors, who is believed to have a Judas, have described the allegation as ‘weighty’, asking the security operatives to immediately carry out investigations.

In a statement signed by Makut Macham, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor Lalong, who is the forum’s chairman, the group noted thus:

“The forum, which has been working with the federal government, security agencies, community, civil society, traditional and religious leaders as well as development partners to defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality in the region finds the allegation by Dr. Mailafia very weighty, which deserves further investigation.

“We, as Northern governors, have met severally to discuss insecurity in the region and the nation at large where we did not only condemn the activities of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, bandits and other criminals but also engaged the President and all heads of security agencies in finding solutions to the problem.

“To now say that one of our members is leading Boko Haram is a serious allegation that cannot be swept under the carpet. We demand an immediate and thorough investigation.”

The Boss reported how Obadiah was invited by the Department of State Security, and drilled for over six hours. The former CBN executive however, did retract his statement, maintaining that he was sure that of his utterances during the live interview with Nigeria Info 95.1 FM in Abuja.

He said: “During the lock-down, the insurgents were moving and distributing arms and ammunition across the country. We have met with some of their repentant high commanders, they have sat down with us not once, not twice.”

The Federal Government, in July had reintegrated about 601 ex-Boko Haram terrorists including 14 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger into the society, a move that attracted condemnation more than applause.

Here are some of the 19 governors in the eye of the storm:

MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI

The two term Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai was born on February 16, 1960 to a Fulani family in Daudawa. He lost his father at the age of eight, and was sponsored through his early education by an uncle in Kaduna.

He was educated in Barewa College at a time when former President Umaru Yar’Adua was the house captain of his dormitory. In 1976, he graduated at the top of his class, winning the “Barewa Old Boys’ Association Academic Achievement” Trophy. El-Rufai attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying with first class honours.

In 1984, he received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He has since attended several professional and post-graduate programs, including the Georgetown School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C and programs on privatization and leadership.

El-Rufai has been battling albeit, unsuccessfully the one sided killings in the state where the Christian dominated Southern Kaduna has suffered casualities from Fulani herdsmen.

AMINU BELLO MASARI

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, who is serving his second term as the governor of Katsina state, was born on May 29, 1950. He is a native of Masari village of Kafur Local Government Area.

Masari’s Katsina, which incidentally is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, has become the centre point of banditry in recent times with many deaths recorded.

AMINU WAZIRI TAMBUWAL

The Governor of Sokoto State, who also serving his second term, was born on born January 10, 1966. He also served as the 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Tambuwal is a product of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, where he studied Law, graduating with an LLB (Hons) degree in 1991. He completed his one-year compulsory legal studies at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, obtained his BL and was called to the Bar in 1992.

Besides studying for his law degree, he attended several courses abroad including: Telecoms Regulatory Master Class–Bath UK, 2004; Lawmaking for the Communications Sectors –BMIT, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2004; and Regulating a Competitive Industry-UK, Brussels, 2005.

Tambuwal has had his own fair share of skirmishes in the fight against terrorism, banditry and herdsmen.

BABAGANA UMARA ZULUM

Zulum is a first term governor of Borno State, who a cross section of stakeholders believe is making efforts at leadership. A professor of Soil and Water Engineering, Zulum was born on August 26, 1969.

He studied at the University of Maiduguri, where he obtained a degree in Agriculture Engineering. He proceeded to the University of Ibadan from 1997 to 1998, where he obtained a master’s degree in Agriculture Engineering. In 2005, he enrolled for a PhD in Soil and Water Engineering with the University of Maiduguri which he completed in 2009.

MAI MALA BUNI

Yobe State governor, Mala Buni was (born on November 11 1967. He is the current caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress. He was previously the national secretary of the APC.

YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO

Born on June 18, 1975, Kogi State governor, a businessman turned politician, is in his second term as governor. The youngest of six siblings, Bello studied at Kaduna State Polytechnic Zaria in 1995 and obtained an accounting degree from Ahmadu Bello University ABU Zaria in 1999. Yahaya Bello further enrolled for a Masters program in Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria where he obtained Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2002. Bello became a chartered fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria in 2004.

He was privileged to become governor after Abubakar Audu, who originally won the election died before the results were officially announced.

ABDULLAHI UMAR GANDUJE OFR

The Kano governor was born on December 25, 1949. He served as two term deputy governor to Rabiu Kwankwaso before emerging governor in 2015.

In addition to Qur’anic education, Ganduje attended Advanced Teachers’ College, Kano between 1969 and 1972 before attending Ahmadu Bello University, where he graduated with a Bachelors in Science Education in 1975. He also obtained a master’s degree in applied educational psychology from Bayero University Kano in 1979 and later returned to Ahmadu Bello University from 1984 to 1985 for a Master of Public Administration degree. He received his doctorate in Public Administration from University of Ibadan in 1993.

With many others toeing the line, Nigerians are desirous of knowing who the Boko Haram commander is.

Headline

Peter Obi Confirms Defection from ADC, Blames Toxicity, Lack of Solidarity

Published

21 hours ago

May 3, 2026

Eric

Candidate of Labour Party in the last Presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has confirmed that he is on his way out of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a personally signed statement released on Sunday, Obi said he arrived at the decision after deep reflection, describing the move as necessary despite “every constraint.”

“I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart… and felt compelled to share these thoughts,” he wrote, adding that many people do not understand the “silent pains” and private struggles faced by those trying to serve in Nigeria’s political space.

Obi painted a grim picture of the current political climate, describing it as increasingly hostile and discouraging.

“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities… often works against the people,” he said, pointing to intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny as defining features of the system.

The former Anambra State governor also expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of solidarity, even among close associates.

“Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism,” he noted, lamenting that humility is often misinterpreted as weakness, while compassion is seen as foolishness.

Obi, however, clarified that his decision was not driven by personal grievances against key leaders within the party. He specifically exonerated ADC National Chairman, David Mark, and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, saying neither treated him unfairly.

“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman… treated me badly, nor because… Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me,” he said.

Instead, Obi attributed his exit to what he described as a recurrence of the same challenges that plagued his time in the Labour Party, including internal divisions, legal battles, and external interference.

“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises… now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division,” he stated.

He further lamented that sincere contributions are often undervalued, with individuals becoming scapegoats for broader systemic failures.

“Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider… as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated,” Obi added.

Despite stepping away, the former governor said he continues to face criticism and attacks on his character, even as he seeks to pursue national development with sincerity.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s broader challenges, Obi questioned societal values that, according to him, often misinterpret integrity and prudent management of resources.

“Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued?” he asked.

Obi reiterated that his ambition is not driven by a quest for political office but by a desire to see a better Nigeria.

“I am not desperate to be President… I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed,” he said, highlighting issues of insecurity, poverty, and displacement.

He concluded on a hopeful note, affirming his belief in Nigeria’s potential for transformation.

“Yet, despite everything, I remain resolute. I firmly believe that Nigeria can still become a country with competent leadership based on justice, compassion, and equal opportunity for all,” he said.

“A new Nigeria is possible.”

Source: Daily Trust

Headline

Peter Obi Weeps for Nigerian Workers, Says Minimum Wage Can no Longer Guarantee Modest Living

Published

2 days ago

May 2, 2026

Eric

A frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has regretted that the minimum wage can no longer guarantee a most modest standard of living in Nigeria.

In a post on his X handle on Friday to mark Workers’ Day, the former Governor of Anambra State said this has happened as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work.

He said no nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and wellbeing of its workforce, stressing that the progress of any society rests on the quality of its human capital, the skill of its people, and the commitment of its workers.

‘When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers,” he noted.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections said a productive nation must be built on justice, fairness, and respect for labour, adding that “it is the Nigeria we must work together to achieve.”

Obi said through democratic participation, the Nigerian workers have the power to shape governance and determine the future direction of the nation.

He, therefore, urged Nigerian workers to recognise the strength they hold collectively.

“But beyond their labour, workers also possess another powerful tool, their voice and their vote.

“They owe it to themselves, their children, and future generations to support and demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion. By refusing to reward failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance, they can help build a nation where hard work is respected and rewarded with dignity.

“With the support and participation of Nigerian workers, a new Nigeria is possible,” said Obi.

He saluted workers across the world, especially Nigerian workers whose daily sacrifices continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions, and national economy in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty.

Headline

Attorney-General Asks Court to Deregister ADC, Accord, Three Other Parties

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

Eric

The Attorney-General of the Federation has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, arguing that their continued existence violates constitutional provisions and undermines Nigeria’s electoral integrity.

In court filings, the Attorney General contended that unless the court intervenes, INEC would “continue to act in breach of its constitutional duty” by retaining parties that have failed to meet the minimum requirements prescribed by law.

The filing stressed that the right to associate as a political party is not absolute and must be exercised within constitutional limits. It further argued that it is in the interest of justice for the court to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 and filed at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, lists the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators as the plaintiff.

The defendants include INEC as the first defendant and the Attorney General of the Federation as the second defendant, alongside five political parties: African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord (A), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

At the center of the issue in the case is whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to remove parties that fail to meet electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s own regulations.

The plaintiffs argue that the affected parties have persistently failed to satisfy the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration. These include winning at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state or local government level.

They contend that the parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across key tiers of government, yet continue to be recognised by INEC as eligible political platforms.

The plaintiffs maintain that this continued recognition is unlawful and undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.

In the affidavit supporting the suit, the forum’s national coordinator, Igbokwe Raphael Nnanna, states that allowing parties that have not met constitutional requirements to remain on the register “is unconstitutional, illegal and a violation” of the governing legal framework.

The suit asks the court to declare that INEC is duty-bound to deregister such parties and to compel the commission to do so before preparations for the 2027 elections advance further.

Beyond declaratory reliefs, the plaintiffs are also seeking far-reaching orders that would bar the affected parties from participating in the next general elections or engaging in political activities such as campaigns, rallies and primaries. They further request injunctions restraining INEC from recognising or dealing with the parties in any official capacity unless and until they comply strictly with constitutional provisions.

Central to the plaintiffs’ argument is their interpretation of the law as imposing a mandatory duty on INEC. They argue that the use of the word “shall” in the Constitution leaves no room for discretion once a party fails to meet the stipulated thresholds.

In their written address, they rely on statutory provisions and judicial precedents to contend that electoral performance is an objective condition that must be enforced to maintain discipline, transparency, and accountability in the political system.

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