Residents in Yobe state at an interactive session with the presidential committee on dialogue and peaceful resolution of security challenges in the north have asked the committee to identify and unveil sponsors of Boko Haram.
An elder statesman, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, who made the call for unveiling sponsors of the group asked why Nigerians “are still in the dark” on sponsors of the group.
According to him, apart from revealing who the sponsors are, Nigerians and the whole world are keen to know where and how sophisticated firearms are in circulation or in use by various hoodlums for their various operations across the country.
“Several arrests have been made since the commencement of the insurgency, lots of revelations have been uncovered, caches of arms have been recovered, yet Nigerians and the whole world are yet to know those behind the Boko Haram insurgency” he lamented.
The elder statesman also challenged the committee to verify and tell Nigerians which countries, groups or individuals are supplying AK47, Rapid Propel Grenade (RPG) among other weapons to the group.
Another Damaturu elder, Alhaji Mohammadu Gombe, lamented on the colossal loss of lives and property since the attacks on people in Damaturu and Maiduguri.
He process solicited assistance for groups and individuals who suffered losses as a result of the attack, while urging the federal government to bring culprits to book. He also alleged that some highly placed individuals must be involved in the dastard act.
Other speakers called on parents, religious groups and organisations to preach and inculcate good morals in the minds of their followers, warning that without it religious tolerance will continue to deteriorate and have adverse effects on the peace and progress of the country.
While commending the President for constituting the committee, participants at the session also called on the committee to be objective and to ensure that lasting peace is achieved at the end of their assignment.
The Committee Chairman and Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; Kabiru Tanimu Turaki assured participants that the committee will be fair and diligent in the course of its assignment pointing out that tremendous progress is being made in the quest for peace.
Stakeholders and participants were drawn from the Jamatul Nasir Islam (JNI) the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) traditional rulers, various political, tribal, religious and social groups as well as trade unions among other interest groups.