Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as absurd, allegations by Australian negotiator, Stephen Davies, that former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, was one of the sponsors of the Boko Haram sect.
The Australian, who said he had been involved in negotiations with the Islamic sect on behalf of the Federal Government, had, in an interview, named Ihejirika and a former governor of Borno State as sponsors of the Islamic sect.
Fani-Kayode, however, in his reply to the allegations, said he found the allegation against Ihejirika a little far-fetched.
“No one should be spared if the evidence is really there, but I must say that I find the allegation that the former Chief of Army Staff, General Ihejirika, is somehow involved with Boko Haram a little far-fetched.
“Firstly, he (Ihejirika) spent so much of his time, energy, career and resources fighting that organisation.
“Secondly, that organisation killed so many of his own officers and men and thirdly, he is not a Muslim but a Christian.
“I have never heard of a Christian trying his best to help or assist an organisation to establish an islamic fundamentalist caliphate which is committed to wiping out the Christian faith and killing every Christian, secularist and moderate Muslim in his country.
“It seems to me that this is an absurd notion and that it really doesn’t make any sense, but if the Australian has any hard evidence, let us see or hear it.
“These are very serious allegations and I would be interested in seeing the hard evidence, if any, that he claims to have.
“I have always said that I believe that anyone that is involved with Boko Haram, no matter which political party that person is and how highly placed or powerful that person may be, ought to be captured, caged and brought to justice, because I regard such people as nothing but bloodthirsty beasts,” he said.
On the allegation that the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were the ones behind Boko Haram, he said, “Those individuals know very well that the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a party has far more sympathy for Boko Haram and many more of the leaders and members have spoken up for and in defence of Boko Haram than anyone else.
Fani-Kayode also chided the opposition, saying the APC was against the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states when it was declared.
He further revealed that APC lobbied to ensure the Boko Haram scaled the hammer of being labeled as a terrorist sect by the international community last year.
The former aviation minister said: “The elements in the APC, and none of those in PDP, worked day and night to ensure that America did not label Boko Haram a terrorist organisation throughout last year and up until early this year.
“This is after the terrorists had killed and abducted so many young and innocent Nigerians. Now the question has to be asked, why was this so?”
