Falana Says Cameroon Arrested Sheriff In 2012

Shortly after confirming links of Ali Modu Sheriff with Boko Haram, human rights lawyer Femi Falana reveals how former Borno State governor was arrested in 2012.

It would be recalled that in a statement published September 3 by Premium Times Falana, referring to the investigation carried out by the special panel, said Sheriff had close connection with insurgents and  urged the authorities to initiate legal proceedings against politicians involved in sponsoring Boko Haram, including Sheriff.

 

[caption id="attachment_696" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Femi Falana[/caption]

This came days after the Australian negotiator Stephen Davis, who had spent 4 month in Nigeria to negotiate with BH commanders for Chibok girls release, insisted Sheriff was one of politicians funding terrorism in the country.

While Sheriff categorically denied any involvement and characterized allegations as baseless, Lagos-based lawyer made another disclosure speaking at the 5th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, Vanguard reports:

“In October 2012, Sheriff was arrested in Cameroon on crime committed by the Boko Haram he sponsored. The state government pleaded with the Cameroonian government to release him because he is a well known man here and he cannot be arrested.”

Sue me – Falana tells Sheriff

In a yesterday’s interview Stephen Davis dared ex-governor to sue him, as the latter had threatened to do so over the sponsorship allegations. However Falana, urged Sheriff to sue him instead.

[caption id="attachment_697" align="alignleft" width="797"] Ali Modu Sheriff[/caption]

“I am expecting Senator Ali Madu Sheriff to sue me. I heard that he wanted to sue an Australian (Dr. Steven Davies). He doesn’t need that. He should sue me. I am waiting for him to sue me. Not only did he fund that organization (Boko Haram), he also had a deal with them.”

The legal practitioner insisted on Sheriff’s responsibility:

“In 2003, he had a deal with the Boko Haram leaders to help him win the election and that if he wins his re-election, he will compensate the organization. When he won the election, he appointed one of them as Commissioner for Religious Affairs to implement Sharia in that state.”

Falana also blasted the Nigerian authorities over hiding facts from country citizens.

 

Meanwhile the Federal Government yesterday denied hiring Davis as negotiator in Chibok girls issue. It was made known in the official statement, according to which “for now nobody has been hired by the government to negotiate on its behalf with Boko Haram”.

The  Department of State Security (SSS) however revealed that they had already invited Sheriff for interrogation after news surfaced that he sponsored Boko Haram.