Sarkin Hausawa Lagos says South-West arrested over 1,000 Boko Haram members, pledges support to President Jonathan in 2015

ABUJA (Federal Ministry of Special Duties Report) – The Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, Sani Kabir has recently informed the Nigerian Government that Northerners in the South – West have arrested more than 1,000 Boko Haram insurgents in parts of the South- West of Nigeria. 

In his speech delivered when the Arewa Council of Chiefs in the South-West paid a visit to the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in Abuja, the Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos said that the arrests were made at different times and those arrested were Boko Haram members who fled from the Civilian JTF/ Military onslaught on the insurgents in the North – East and those who came to the South-West to further the insurgency. He added that the Council ensured that Boko Haram did not take root in the South-West as such developments would have complicated the security challenges facing the country.  

“So far in the South-West, we have peace and this is achieved through the collaboration of Arewa people and Arewa Chiefs. If you can confirm with the security agencies, we have arrested more than 1,000 Boko Haram members throughout the South-West States,” he noted. He further explained that the Arewa people and Chiefs have promptly reported any suspicious movements to security agents because they believe that the problem is actually the Nigerian problem. He also inferred that if there was any breakdown of law and order in the South-West, the Arewa people and Chiefs would have been the prime targets, irrespective of whether or not they are member of the Boko Haram sect.  

“All the Arewa kings in the South-West are up and doing to make sure that they do not allow any breakdown of law and order in their communities,” he said. Explaining how the arrests were conducted, he said that they tasked their leaders that when new people come into their midst, they should observe their behaviours and since some of the leaders in the South-West are Northerners and some of them are from Borno State, they can know. He recalled instances where the JTF came from Borno State to identify some of them, averring that those identified as Boko Haram members were immediately handed over to security agencies. 

Speaking on their support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, Sani Kabir informed that back in the 2011 electioneering campaign, there was a team that was led by the President and the Vice President which met with the Council members and they pledged to give their assistance as well as support during the election period and beyond. He also noted that since that time, there has been no communication between them and the President or the Federal Government.  

“We have seen that we are now marching towards election that is why the Arewa Chiefs in the South-West have opted to be in touch with the President, so that they can actually interact with him and see where they can assist. We also want to know who can be our contact man, since we are not regular politicians and cannot come out in the open. As the leaders of our   people, we want to know how we can assist him before the election campaign starts,” he averred. 

In his response, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabir Tanimu Turaki, who received the group on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, thanked the Arewa leaders for their efforts towards ensuring that insurgency does not extend to the South – West. He thanked them also for the enormous support extended to the government and the President from the 2011 electioneering campaigns to date. 

“Yet there have been calls by a lot of Nigerians from virtually all sectors, from eminent Nigerians and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) asking the President to declare intention to contest in the 2015 general elections. The President is a person who consults, not only on state matters but also on matters that affect him as a person. So, in spite of the rapidity, frequency and enormity of the calls, the President has consistently said that he is not going to be rushed into taking any decision without consulting a broad spectrum of Nigerians, feeling their pulse and their opinion before making up his mind,” the Minister stated. 

“Having laid a solid foundation for Nigeria, it is only fair that the bud which the President is now planting should be well watered and properly nurtured to grow into a very strong tree that will serve the interest of every Nigerian.” 

Kabir Tanimu Turaki stressed that as the President is about to make up his mind, there should be open channels of communication, in order to have free flow of information between concerned community leaders, the government and the President. He further revealed his intention to take the message to the President, saying he is sure that the President will appoint an appropriate link between them.   

While emphasizing on security, he expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Arewa Council of Chiefs in the South-West in working with security agencies to ensure that the security challenges in the North-East does not extend to the South-West.