by Tolu Orekoya

The economic impact of the unceasing wave of attacks occurring in the North is devastating the economy and exacerbating the already precarious economic situation in the region.

The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and governor of Niger State, released a statement on Monday saying that the economic impact of the bombs was crippling to the region’s economy.

Aliyu, released the statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Danladi Ndayebo which read, in part:

“The conspiracy theory suggesting that Jama’atul Ahlil Sunnah Bil Da’awatil Wa Jihad popularly known as Boko Haram is solely responsible for the series of bombing attacks and killings of innocent people in the North calls for more investigation.

“The spate of explosions currently rocking the North may be part of a well co-ordinated attempt to cripple the economy of the region,’’ the governor said.

Aliyu went on to suggest that the terrorist group was not responsible for the bombings of churches, and that an external group with its own agenda is responsible for the attacks on Christians.

“Given the level of sophistication involved in the activities of the perpetrators of the bombings, it is easy to conclude that some oblique forces are behind the violence in the North and not Boko Haram alone as widely believed,” he said.

His statement however shied away from speculating who the external antagonists could be.