The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has slammed Phrank Shuaibu, an aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, for accusing incumbent Vice-President Kashim Shettima of aiding and abetting Boko Haram insurgents during his tenure as Borno governor.
Mr Shuaibu specifically accused the vice-president of aiding the abduction of the Chibok girls.
But, MURIC director Ishaq Akintola said in a statement on Monday that the allegations were false, malicious, odious and insidious.
“We are confounded both by the weight and intensity of these allegations, particularly against a sitting vice president. They are false, malicious, odious and insidious. They are simply lies from the pit of Jahannam,” said the Islamic group. “Somebody must have locked the medulla oblongata of Shaibu and thrown the key away, otherwise he would not turn the pages of history upside down the way he has just done. How could any rational being accuse VP Shettima of aiding Boko Haram?”
MURIC admonished Mr Shuaibu to look “elsewhere for those responsible for lapses in the attack on the Chibok girls,” alleging that he “does not have to look far, behind his shoulders, perhaps.”
The Muslim group added, “It is on record that former President Goodluck Jonathan threatened to withdraw federal troops from Borno when Shettima, as the state governor, complained of a glaring lackadaisical approach from the federal government to the Boko Haram saga.”
It added, “He asked if Shettima would be able to stay in the government house if he withdrew federal troops. Jonathan’s exact words were, ‘I will pull them out for one month whether he (Shettima) will stay in that his Government House. But, if he thinks what he said is correct, then I will pull out the armed forces for one month.’”
The statement noted that Mr Shettima, then-Borno governor, had complained to Mr Jonathan that Boko Haram was gaining the “upper hand” in the North-East because Nigerian soldiers were not ill-armed, but an “angry Jonathan gave him the cold response.”
“It was more than a response. It was a threat. It was like, ‘Behave, or I will unleash them on you,” stated MURIC. “We affirm that Shettima’s complaint was meant to attract better equipment for Nigerian soldiers so that they would be able to confront Boko Haram fighters more effectively.’”
MURIC argued that “a governor who is aiding the insurgents would not make such a request, instead, he would have joined the indifferent camp of looters of funds meant for the purchase of weapons for Nigerian soldiers. Shaibu’s allegation against VP Shettima is, therefore, frivolous, mischievous and lactiferous.”
MURIC said it was “miffed by Shuaibu’s allegation” that Shettima aided the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, pointing out that it “is on record that former President Jonathan refused to act for nineteen (19) days after the abduction of the poor girls.”
“It is, therefore, the zenith of mischief for Atiku’s aide to accuse Shettima of involvement in the ugly incident. Official duplicity cannot be totally ignored. For example, in the case of Dapchi, where 110 girls were abducted, the governor of Yobe at the time alleged that soldiers were withdrawn a week before the attack,” said the statement.
(NAN)
