I have no proof to back my claim on Boko Haram and insecurity in Nigeria-Mailafia

By our reporter| Under fire former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Mailafia on Monday said he has no proof to back his claim that a serving northern state governor is one of the sponsors Boko Haram.

Mailafia has on three occasions in recent weeks invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) following an interview he had with a radio station in Abuja in August where he made various assertions on the rising state of insecurity and the famous claim that a serving governor in the north is a leader of the Boko Haram.

After his release from DSS custody, Mailafia told the BBC Hausa, that he got the information from “some traders” in the market and did not know that his statement would go viral.

But speaking in Jos, the Plateau state capital, on Monday shrtly after his release by the secret police, the embattled former CBN governor said if he had his way, he would have put his words in a better language.

He said, “I had a routine appearance with the Department State Security, Plateau state command. I am very pleased that I was treated very professionally. There was no harassment or intimidation.”

“Over a month ago when I gave a radio interview, based on what I heard. If I had my way there are few things I would say differently, but I spoke on the spur of the moments, and I believed that it was a matter of greater urgency to make a wake-up call to what is happening.

“I didn’t really mean to say that the government was part and parcel of the killings, I implied that they could do better because thousands are dying, innocent women and children, elderly and youths.

“But if I have my way I would have put it in better language, and I have no way of corroborating some of these things, I heard it and I could have follow them into their camps to confirm because I might not come back to tell the story, so that is the reality.

“I have indicated that I have reason to believe that my life has been in danger. I have no conclusive proof but I get threat, I get calls. Where I was staying, on Thursday, I saw some strange people at the gate trying to break in. I jumped the fence and escaped because I don’t know who they are.”