GOVERNOR MURTALA NYAKO’S CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH AT THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE FOR PEACE

The widely reported meeting between the 12 Northern governors and government officials of the United States was a heated one.

The governors who attended the meeting were Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Kashim Shetima (Borno), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Idris Wada (Kogi), and Usman Dakingari (Kebbi). Nigeria’s ambassador to the  United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, was also in attendance.

The twelve governors met with President Barack Obama’s National Security Adviser, Ms. Susan Rice, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Adviser (United States Institute of Peace), Mr. Grant Harris, Special Adviser to President Obama on Africa, Mr. John Mohr – Senior Staff Member – National Security Council and Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Arguments started during the meeting when Governor Murtala Nyako gave a speech accusing the Federal Government of failing to block importation of weapons into the country; weapons, which are being used to fuel the Boko Haram insurgency. He also said that federal security agencies were colluding with backers of Boko Haram to perpetuate the conflict in the North. He said such security agencies were the ones facilitating the clearance of arms and ammunitions through the border and transporting same to the terrorists.

Nigerian Ambassdaor to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye however rose to defend President Jonathan and condemned the governor.

The United States officials were said to have listened and watched in silence, as only a few weeks ago, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, publicly challenged the Nigerian government to expose the backers of Boko Haram.

Full transcript of Nyako’s speech