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According to Vanguard, Ninety-two year old elder
statesman and first Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Shettima Ali
Monguno, CFR, was yesterday kidnapped in Borno State by suspected members of
the Boko
Haram Islamic sect shortly after performing the Juma'at
Congregational prayers at a Mosque in Mafoni ward in Maiduguri metropolis.
Unknown gunmen had earlier on Thursday night,
killed the acting Chairman of Dikwa Local Government Area in the state,
Alhaji Kachallah Umara in his compound.
Mungono's abduction took place at about 2pm in
the area said to be the stronghold of the sect members.
Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, also said it was
saddened by the news that Alhaji Monguno has been kidnapped by unknown gun
men in Maiduguri, adding that ''he is not expected to be subjected to such
hardship and humiliation by any group, be it sectarian or men of the
underworld.''
A statement signed by the National Publicity
Secretary of ACF, Mr Anthony Sani stressed that ''if, as is being bandied
about, Boko Haram members are the kidnappers in order to press for the
release of their detained members by the authorities, then, they are going
about it the wrong way,'' and asked ''the good people of Borno state to keep
calm and not take the laws into their hands as the federal and state
governments go as far as efforts can go in order to bring to an end, the
culture of violence under control not only in Borno and Yobe States but
through out Nigeria.''
The Special Adviser on Communications to Governor
Kashim Shettima, Alhaji Isa Umar Gusau confirmed the incident.
Mungono, had been a strong agitator for the
withdrawal of JTF troops from Borno and at the forefront of those asking the
Federal Government to grant amnesty to the Boko Haram sect. As the Chairman
of Borno Elders Forum, several meetings were held in his GRA compound on the
security challenges affecting the state and the north in general.
The JTF Spokesman, Lt Col Sagir Musa confirmed
the abduction saying, "yes we received an information that Dr. Shettima
Ali Monguno was kidnapped today (yesterday) by gunmen soon after performing
his Friday prayers at a mosque in Mafoni. Investigation is on-going to
ascertain the true situation."
An eye witness also told Saturday Vanguard in
Maiduguri that, "we just performed our Juma'at prayers. I was standing
in front of the mosque when Dr. Monguno was exchanging pleasantries with
people, and the next thing was that, four gunmen; three with Ak47 rifles and
the other with a pistol ambushed the elder statesman, fired several shots to
scare the crowd before they bundled him inside their vehicle and took him to
unknown destination."
Already, Governor Shettima has summoned all Borno
State elders to an emergency meeting at the elder statesman's GRA residence
to discuss possible ways of rescuing him from his kidnappers, who are yet to
declare their intentions for abducting him.
Last week, the Spokesman of the Military Joint
Task Force, JTF, Lt Col. Sagir Musa in a statement in Maiduguri warned
residents particularly politicians, civil servants and traditional rulers
among others important personalities to be wary of their safety as, according
to him, the Boko Haram sect members had concluded plans to engage more in
kidnapping prominent members of the society.
Sagir said, "Intelligence available to the
Task Force has indicated that Boko Haram terrorists have resolved to
concentrate more on kidnappings than robbery. They alleged that kidnapping is
more lucrative, less dangerous and requires short time to plan and execute.
"Similarly, a special kidnapping squad has
been earmarked and tasked by Boko Haram sect to kidnap persons who could be
wealthy relation, politician, businessman/woman, traditional ruler, senior
civil servants and foreigners alike."
Earlier at about 7pm on Thursday, some
unidentified gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents had shot dead, the
acting Care-taker Chairman and Secretary of Dikwa Local Government Area,
Alhaji Umara, near the Gomari Airport, leaving others present to scamper for
their safety.
Umara, it was learnt, was killed by four suspected
Boko Haram members who arrived in his compound in an unmarked Volkswagen Golf
saloon car, soon after he had completed his magrib prayers at a mosque close
to his family house. He was reportedly about entering his house when his
assailants opened fire on him at close range, before escaping.
Governor Shettima had last week dissolved all the
local government caretaker committees in the 27 local government councils in
the state, following the expiration of their six months tenure. The deceased
was thereafter, appointed as acting chairman of Dikwa.
Gomari is one of the peaceful wards in Jere, near
Maiduguri metropolis. The area had not witnessed any killings in the the past
five months.
However, in December last year, some suspected
terrorists slaughtered six people including a village head, two policemen and
three other civilians in their residents.
When contacted, the state Police Commissioner,
Yuguda Abdullahi told newsmen on the telephone that he was not in Maiduguri
and declined further comments on the incident.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
DSP Gideon Jubrin's cell phones were also switched off as at the time of
going to press.
However, an aide to Governor Shettima who spoke
to Saturday Vanguard on the condition of anonymity said, "if Dr.
Shettima Ali Monguno can be abducted by terrorists, it means the security
situation in the state has gone beyond what human beings can imagine."
Meanwhile, security operatives have cordoned off
all the major streets in Maiduguri in a bid to apprehend the culprits.
When Saturday Vanguard visited the family
house of Dr. Monguno at Lagos Street, GRA, about 40metres away from the
Government House Maiduguri, scores of sympathisers and relatives were seen
trying to gain entry into the compound, but were barred from entering by the
eagle eyed security operatives deployed to the area.
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