The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has called for the sack of Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya of National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru – Jos over alleged hate speech.
This is contained in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Abdullahi.
It was alleged that Mailafiya had accused a serving Governor as the master mind of Boko Haram insurgency.
It stated, “we condemn in strong terms inflammatory statements credited to opining that the Grand-Commander of Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria is a serving Governor in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Following this unguided statement, he was invited by the State Security Service where the Nation was informed that on interrogation, Mailafiya claimed he heard that a Governor in the North was Commander of Boko-Haram from ‘a Fulani man in the market’ that was why he said it on a Radio interview with Nigeria Info on 99.3 FM!
“This development is worrisome and unpatriotic! For a man of his calibre to say this is nothing but an irresponsible statement capable of promoting disaffection, chaos and instability! To appreciate our assertion, a retired Chief of Army Staff – few days after the falsehood and vituperation of Obadiah took to a National Daily to name a serving Governor as a Commander of Book Haram. He allegedly predicated his views on personal interaction with that person while he was serving COAS even though that person was not a Governor then! One could see that personal animosities are gradually being developed to add to humongous problems we are facing presently.
“With this, the Nation is gradually being turned to a State of lawlessness where some elites serving or retired say all sorts of nonsense under the cover of being ‘ex-this, ex-that’! The Nation must not condone this irresponsible behaviour! Rather the law must take its normal course as it is for the ordinary citizens who are being punished for their offences! If this is not done, it means we are unjust as justice most go round irrespective of positions.”
The group therefore warned that careless, senseless and irresponsible statements must be checked to avert political, ethnic and religious crises.
“This could only be done if those found culpable are made to face the law either as individual, Organisation or Group.
“In the meantime, MMWG supports the call for disengagement of Obadiah Mailafiya from where he is serving now, as his conduct and philosophy negate the principles and objectives of setting-up the great Institute. Those who are to impact knowledge and fine characters in our Leaders must not be enmeshed in what Mailafiya was found to be doing,” it added.
Meanwhile, the MMWG has called for proper prosecution of anyone found guilty of election malpractices in the forthcoming elections in Info and Edo states.
“As these elections get closer, the Federal Government must ensure that political thugs and their sponsors pay for their actions this time around.
“If this malady continues, thugs, election saboteurs would continue to have field day! Police that are usually supposed to make arrests are seen as usually failing to exercise their lawful powers because they were not given the powers to do so.
“We advise the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that in those two States, anti-crime teams should be positioned in each locality where voting is taking place apart from those providing security and surveillance in the Polling Zones in-order to make arrest of criminals easy during elections! This time, nobody should go scot-free after committing crimes during elections as election is not a war.”
