Youths Stoned Modu Sheriff’s Car,As Hundreds of Soldiers Lead HimInto Maiduguri,

Youths Stoned Modu Sheriff’s Car,As Hundreds of Soldiers Lead HimInto Maiduguri,

Source:Osun Defender

Hundreds of soldiers led by a serving
colonel of the Nigerian Army provided
cover for former Borno State governor

Ali Modu Sheriff who stormed Maiduguri
yesterday to strategize ahead of next
year’s election.

Our correspondents report that several
police men and operatives of the
Department of State Security (DSS) also
provided security to the former governor
who landed at the Maiduguri
International Airport in his private
aircraft around 2.30pm.

The security operatives in armoured
personnel carriers (APCs) cordoned off
the airport before the arrival of Sheriff.
The former governor had defected to the
Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) few
months ago, and since then, has become
“a priced bride” of the Federal
Government, receiving full security
complement wherever he goes.

During his visit yesterday, soldiers and
policemen stood at various locations in
Maiduguri to ensure adequate safety for
the former governor, who was
accompanied by his brother and PDP
governorship aspirant Mala Sheriff.
Others in the entourage were Alhaji
Kashim Imam, Alhaji Gambo Lawan and
Barrister Umara Kumalia, all of whom
are also working to get the governorship
ticket of the PDP, among others.

Former chairman of the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state, Alhaji
Mohammed Imam, who was earlier
tipped as Sheriff’s preferred candidate
arrived in Maiduguri earlier and was
also given security complement.

While on his way out of the airport in a
long motorcade, an armoured personnel
carrier led the convoy and another one
trailed behind even as dozens of security
patrol vehicles stood in between
hundreds of private cars of politicians.

Shehu not in palace
From the airport, Sheriff drove straight
to Shehuri, with the intention of paying
homage to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji
Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi.
But the Shehu had left the palace few
minutes before the arrival of Sheriff.
The former governor left after waiting
for about 20 minutes when it became
clear that his host was not around to
receive him.

The Secretary of the Borno Emirate
Council, Alhaji Zannah Laisu Kazalma,
said the Shehu did not shun the former
governor.

“I want to inform you that the Shehu is a
father to all and is always willing to
grant audience to everybody. What
happened today (yesterday) is that he
had to go to the Government House here
in Maiduguri to attend a security
meeting. This is the true picture of what
happened.

“The Shehu had granted audience to the
former governor in the past and it will
be wrong for anyone to insinuate that he
avoided the former governor this time
around,” Laisu said.

Sheriff later arrived at the PDP state
secretariat along Kashim Ibrahim way
where he was received by a tumultuous
crowd.

Though he did not stay long at the
secretariat, sources close to Sheriff said
he had picked expression form to contest
for the Borno Central
Senatorial district in the forthcoming
elections.

He had contested for the same seat in
2011 while completing his second term
as governor but seat was defeated by
Khalifa Ahmed Zannah, who
defected to the APC few days ago.
Flagrant abuse of power
“It is very sad that despite the glaring
insecurity in Borno State, Governor
Kashim Shettima does not have a single
soldier in his convoy and he has less
than 20 policemen and 10 SSS operatives
providing security for him,” Barrister
Mohammed Ali, a legal practitioner said.

“I still remember the flagrant abuse of
power by the federal government when
the Maiduguri airport was reopened for
Sheriff to land few weeks after he
defected to the PDP. The same airport
was closed for about one year and even
pilgrims had to take the risky ride to
Kano before they were airlifted to Saudi
Arabia,” he said.

Shettima, who has remained in the All
Progressives Congress (APC), had parted
ways with Sheriff over a year ago.