The Yoruba in Kano and especially the Ogbomoso people yesterday denounced media reports which described a suspected operational commander of Boko Haram in the metropolis as a Yoruba from the Oyo State town.
Suleiman Mohammed, his wife and five children were arrested by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) during a dawn raid on his residence at Farawa Quarters on Friday.
Ten crates of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one AK47 rifle and three pistols were recovered in his residence.
As soon as the various publications hit the newsstands and the internet yesterday, the Yoruba within and outside Kano began putting phone calls through to their contacts to ascertain the background of the suspect with no one able to confirm ever knowing him or his origin.
A group of concerned natives of Ogbomoso dismissed the reports as "suspicious and lacking in clarity".
Spokesman for the group, Mr Afolabi Omotoso, advised the security agencies to be thorough in their investigations and stop playing to the gallery.
"We are saying with all emphasis that there is no Ogbomoso indigene bearing that name. And if the security operatives doubt it, let them tell us the suspect’s family compound name. We demand for clarity of purpose from the security agencies", he said.
A source at the palace of the monarch of Ogbomoso who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak told newsmen on phone, "Since the news broke the palace has been inundated with calls and enquiries. However, our reaction for now is that we’ll want to know more about the suspect. Who is his father and from which compound or adugbo (ward) does he come from."
According to him, because a suspect claims he hails from a place is not enough to believe him. He called on security agencies to do their investigations well before making public information that would further divide the country and lead to disaffection.
Also, former secretary of the Yoruba community in Kano, who simply identified himself as Ojo for security reasons, said the suspect is not known to the group.
He said the Yoruba in the metropolis network very well and are reasonably familiar with one another adding that Suleiman Mohammed is not known to any member of the Yoruba community.
He said:"As far as we are concerned we do not know him. He is only claiming that he hails from Ogbomoso but there is a group, known as Ogbomoso Parapo. You can contact them at their secretariat on Church Road to confirm whether they know him but for the Yoruba parent body in Kano, we do not know him."
He said Suleiman’s alleged action is contrary to the Yoruba core values of religious tolerance, good neighbourliness, and peaceful co-existence.
"No business can be transacted in a chaotic atmosphere, that is why we are very surprised over his involvement in the sect’s activities and we are therefore looking forward to a comprehensive investigation over the incident so that the truth about the issue can be made public."
He particularly demanded the suspect’s Yoruba name to prove that he is actually one, saying : "The Yoruba community doubts his identity as a true Yoruba man. We are interested in knowing his Yoruba name."
In his reaction, the acting president of the Yoruba community in Kano, Prince Ajayi Memaiyetan said the suspect was never known to have participated in the activities of the group and was therefore not known to the community. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
When caught, how come we never get to know their sponsors...
ReplyDeleteOur Leaders know, yet would bury the whole info,
GEJ is not serious. If he wants to stop Boko haram, let him pubblish the name of their sponsors.its that simple but he's so afraid. This Badluck sef...
ReplyDeleteFor God sake stop excluding YORUBA's in Kwara State from YORUBA community or better still OMO ODUA. Please do us a favour by mapping the YORUBA local Government Areas along with the SOUTH WEST REGIONAL map (to include Ifelodun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Isin,Offa/Oyun LGAs) up to Koro and even the YORUBA LGAs in Kogi State.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 2. Don't you think naming their sponsors will further spark up denials like this? A guy was caught now and see the frenzy in denying him and accusing the government of sowing division. When they name his Yoruba name, what do you think these Ogbomoso defenders will say? Don't you think they might say the government is lying? When their sponsors are mentioned, what do you think their 'people' will say? For your information, Senator Ali Ndume is on trial currently for such.
ReplyDeleteNaija Self!A thief has no brothers or sisters.If he won an olympic Gold,the yorubas will be taking advertorials to trace his ancestory or to debunk claims that he is not a yoruba.Now that he is a strong man of Boko Haram,the yorubas in Kano have disowned him.The question is not whether he known to them or not.If he has Yoruba ancestory he is a Yoruba man.Shikina!
ReplyDeleteHE THAT KILL BY THE SWORD MUST DIE BY THE SWORD NO MATTER HIS/HER COLOR, NATIVE, AGE OR SEX.
ReplyDeleteFANATICISM IS NOT A TRIBAL THING. ANYBODY CAN BE FANATIC AND CAUSE HAVOC. BE HE HAUSA OR IBO OR YORUBA OR IJAW, GOD WILL DEAL WITH ANYONE CAUSING DISAFFECTION AND BLOOD LETTING IN NIGERIA. THEY WILL ALL BE EXPOSED.
ANYONE KILLING IN THE NAME OF RELIGION OR OTHERWISE IS AN ENEMY OF GOD. THE HOLY BOOK SAYS ' FIRE GOETH BEFORE GOD AND CONSUMES HIS ENEMY'.
so BKH are now in yoruba. instead of exposing their sponsors, they are twisting things up. maybe soon the zonal commander will be an igbo man too.
ReplyDeletePresident Jonathan should exhibit a very strong action by naming the sponsors of Boko Haram. His failure to act swiftly, may cause further embarrassment to his administration. No one his above the law. A culprit is a culprit and his demeanour should be exhumed for the public to react. No one should blame the people of Ogbomoso, because the situation as presented by the press is highly sensitive. The culprit bears a Hausa/Fulani names with no connection to Yoruba names. May be, someone is trying to use tactics to divert attention from the prevailing issues about the activities of Boko Haram. Sooner or later, alone or together, the truth shall prevail.
ReplyDelete