TheCable

Anyone who says Boko Haram has been defeated is “telling lies”, Junaid Mohammed, a former supporter-turned-fierce critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, has said.

President Buhari had in December 2016 declared that the stronghold of Boko Haram in Sambisa forest had fallen and the insurgents crushed.

“I want to use this opportunity to commend the determination, courage and resilience of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at finally entering and crushing the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents at ‘Camp Zero’, which is located deep within the heart of Sambisa forest,” Buhari had said.

In an interview with PUNCH, Mohammed, a former house of representatives member, said “Boko Haram is still alive and well” even if the terrorist sect is not holding any territory in the country.

“See, you have to look at the areas which he promised to look at. He promised that he was going to see the back of Boko Haram. I admit that he has done something in terms of what has been happening in the north-east,” Mohammed said.

“I said and I repeat,  Boko Haram is still alive and well. Even if they are not holding territory for a prolonged period in Nigeria, there is no denying the fact that they are still holding areas in the northern part of Nigeria, Ditto in Niger Republic and part of Northern Cameroon.

“Whoever says they have been defeated is telling lies and taking diabolical liberties with a lack of the thorough knowledge that one is supposed to have before commenting on such matters.”

Mohammed also said a “cabal” in the presidency was preventing the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the chairman of the Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the Kano state politician, Magu’s case is being used by the cabal to distract the public from Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), who should have stepped down following the allegations of corruption against him.

“The DSS report cannot be a basis of an indictment against Magu because the DSS is acting in cahoots with the cabal; they take directives from the cabal and we have to be careful,” he said.

“In the case of Lawal, he should have been asked to step aside but that was not done. And then to cover the tracks, the cabal and some elements within the Presidency tried to bring in the case of Magu to distract the public.”