Former governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa has denied claim by bandit leader Bello Turji that he is among the forces fuelling terrorism and banditry in the Northern part of the country. He accused Turji of being a tool to soil his name.
The militant leader had taken to Facebook to accuse Bafarawa and another former Zamfara governor of being the oxygen behind the spiraling insecurity in the north, but did not give details of their involvement in the atrocious acts now afflicting lives and property in that part of the country.
However, Bafarawa, who ruled Sokoto State between 1999 and 2007 ‘Help save my life, I’ve lost both breasts to cancer’ – Grandmother Nelson Joyce cries out
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The militant leader had taken to Facebook to accuse Bafarawa and another former Zamfara governor of being the oxygen behind the spiraling insecurity in the north, but did not give details of their involvement in the atrocious acts now afflicting lives and property in that part of the country.
However, Bafarawa, who ruled Sokoto State between 1999 and 2007, said he had never supported any form of violence or criminality against anyone or the state.
Alhaji Bafarawa, who expressed shock over the said claim by the bandit leader, said there was nothing like banditry or terrorism in Sokoto or Zamfara State when he left office in year 2007 and did not know anyone called Bello Turji.
The former governor, who founded the Democratic People’s Party and flew its presidential flag in the 2007 election, said that Turji must be day-dreaming by mentioning his name among terrorism sponsors in Nigeria and wondered why he should be involved in such action almost 20 years after leaving the office the governor.
Bafarawa said: “Where was Bello Turji when I was governor of Sokoto State and how old was he then? I had nothing to do with him and I still have nothing to do with him and his cohorts.
“What do I stand to benefit from banditry or terrorism at my age?
“It is shocking to me that a character like that is spewing pure lies against my name. He is just being used by some forces to lie from the pit of hell against me.
I remain irrevocably committed to peace and stability of my state and Nigeria and can never venture into anything that can destabilize the society.
