Maj. Hamzat Al-Mustapha, a presidential candidate for the Action Alliance (AA) and a former chief security officer for the late military head of state Gen. Sani Abacha, has claimed that there is a vast western conspiracy to prolong the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Al-Mustapha made this statement on Tuesday in Abuja during a discussion about the general election of 2023.
He asserted that although the insurgency began on November 1, 1999, it actually took shape in 1972 following the discovery of oil and gas.
He accused the western nations of ensuring that there was an unending crisis in African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Libya, among others, where there are high deposits of mineral resources.
He said that the federal government discovered oil and uranium in large quantities in 1996 in the North-east and North-west, which he said was being mined illegally now while insurgency rages on.
Al-Mustapha said despite the fact that Borno State was the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency, surprisingly, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) paid between 10 and 20 years’ rent, an indication that there was a plot to elongate the crisis.
His words: “Borno State is a place ordinarily to be feared because of bombs in wrong places alone. But one may ask, NGOs in Borno state, particularly the capital, are too many. Houses for rent are difficult to find. They are renting houses from 10 years and above; 18 years, 20 years. That is to say there is a plan to stay longer.
“One may ask why? Who are these NGOs? Who certifies them and send them to Nigeria? How come soldiers and police and all uniform men and women are scared of Nigeria and scared particularly of Borno State.
“How come NGOs are much more friendlier? The weather is not friendly, the weather is harsh. How come they love Borno? How come they don’t go to other peaceful countries with better weather? What are they doing there? One may ask.
“Why are soldiers running away from the locations of Boko Haram? And why are the white men and women going there even at odd hours and coming back and unhindered? Why are we not asking them questions? Is Nigeria a jungle? Do we know who we are? What are the names of these agencies giving them clearances at home? How do they enter Nigeria? Immigration, foreign affairs Internal Affairs, presidency. What are they engaged in?
“What is that lucrative thing that makes them not to be afraid of the danger zone in the eyes of a typical Nigerian? How come a typical Nigerian cannot go to where they go to? How come they hold meetings with these people? How come they have telephones and internet interactions? How come we are not aware?
“The question here I ask is: Is it the security managers that are compromising? Or are these civil institutions that are compromising? or is it ignorance? Or is it negligence?”
Al-Mustapha recalled that in January 2022, one of the countries who allegedly took Africa’s resources proposed an agricultural investment and cooperation with Borno State.
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