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Boko Haram: Borno NBA split over call for Sheriff, Ihejirika probe

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By TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Borno has been divided over call by its chairman for the probe of the former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika for alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram insurgents.
Maiduguri branch Chairman of the association, Abdulwasiu Alfa, had last Friday during a press conference urged the Federal Government to probe Sheriff and Ihejirika for alleged complicity in the Boko Haram insurgency in North-East. He also threatened to institute a case against the two leaders at the International Criminal Court in Hague if the government failed to do so within 21 days.
But a group of 60 NBA members, led by one Audu Mohammed yesterday at another press conference in Maiduguri, disassociated the branch from the chairman’s pronouncement, saying his earlier threat and 21-day ultimatum did not reflect the thinking and stand of the bar in Maiduguri.
They maintained that the statement credited to the chairman was a personal opinion and did not follow laid down procedures for issuing such strong pronouncement on national issues by the association.
“By the tradition, convention, practice and precedent and the bye-law of our branch, whenever a press conference is to be addressed, a congress meeting has to sanction it. But the same was not the case this time,” the group said at the briefing with journalists in apparent reference to the chairman’s earlier press conference.
It said the chairman ultimatum was done ‘with intent to drag the professional body into political crisis of the state and the country at large’.
“As a matter of fact, our chairman ought not to have taken this decision without authenticating facts. As it now turns out that his alleged employer, the Federal Government of Nigeria through Mr. Mike Omeri-the spokesman, Federal Information Centres, denounced the said Dr. Stephen Davis, during a press conference recently.
“Denouncing of Davis by the Federal Government has ridiculed the leadership of NBA Maiduguri branch. Therefore, we advise that henceforth, facts should be verified and authenticated before going to public. And we shall maintain our long existing tradition and convention by complying with our bye-law before addressing any press conference,” the group stated.
The 60 NBA members advised the leadership of the association in the state to concentrate more on issues of human rights abuses and other humanitarian issues and “render pro-bono services to under privileged members of the society rather than delving into political arena to overheat the country’s polity.
While praying for an end to the insurgency in the country and exposure of perpetrators of the heinous crime against humanity through divine intervention, they called on government at all levels to collaborate in the fight against insurgency and terrorism.

 Biafra Galaxy

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