Chieftain of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Umaru Duhu, has said that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is the hardest hit by the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the country as he is the sect’s primary target of attack.

Duhu, who  is the Adamawa State chairman of the party, while speaking with LEADERSHIP, expressed dismay that the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman was being linked with the Islamic sect without any justification.

According to him, “It is rather unfortunate that the name of our respected party leader is being peddled as having links with the Boko Haram sect, even when it is common knowledge that he is the group’s number one target.”

He added that such allegation against Sheriff was not  new as some others had made futile attempts in the past to insinuate same.

Duhu said: “Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has not deemed it necessary to join issues with the embattled Senator Ahmed Zannah, who has been ranting in the past few weeks, because he knows that the man is only playing the ostrich. In the fullness of time, the truth about the whole matter will be known.

“The JTF which arrested the suspected king pin are in a better position to tell the world in whose house they made the arrest. Modu Sheriff has been on a virtual trial by the media over the issue of Boko Haram”.

Alhaji Umar also expressed concern that some people were bent on impugning Sheriff’s name and  integrity using the Boko Haram issue,  adding that  it was unfortunate that people find it convenient to trivialise a very serious security challenge like Boko Haram by playing politics with it.

He further noted that the Boko Haram insurgency did not start during Modu Sheriff’s tenure as governor; rather, it was a phenomenon that developed over time since around 1995.

“I have heard people propounding theories that Boko Haram metamorphosed from local political militia. One needs to look at the sophistication and modus operandi of Boko Haram to know that it is one group that does not operate on frivolities. Unlike the political thugs, who are often ragtag, Boko Haram looks a more organised group.

“It has been easy distinguishing between Boko Haram and political assassination because of the calibre of people being targeted. Ali Sheriff has lost his own blood brother, his cousin, three of his most intimate friends, his party men, the governorship candidate of his party and many other associates, while all those trying to link him  with the issue have not lost even the dogs in their houses.”

– Leadership