Memo: NSA to quiz Nyako next week

Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako
| credits: File

There are indications that the Federal Government has begun investigations into allegations levelled against the President Goodluck Jonathan administration by the Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji Murtala  Nyako.

The PUNCH gathered on Tuesday that as part of the investigations, security agencies would, latest next week, meet with the governor to avail them of facts on his allegations against the administration.

The investigation, which is being coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, will comprise officers from the Police, the State Security Service and the military.

Nyako, had in a letter to the Northern Governors’ Forum, dated April 16, 2014,  accused the President of incompetence in handling the Boko Haram insurgency.

He had alleged that the Presidency was behind activities of the sect, adding that the Jonathan administration was carrying out genocide against the North.

But the Presidency on Saturday berated Nyako, describing him as a failed governor.

A security source, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that security agencies were looking at the possibility of meeting Nyako on Wednesday(today) after the governors’ meeting with the President on security.

He, however, said that there were doubts that the security agencies would be able to quiz Nyako on Wednesday as the expanded security meeting might not end on time.

According to him, security agencies are also considering meeting him on Thursday, but the Northern Governors’  Forum will also meet  that day.

Our correspondents gathered that Nyako had not received any invitation from either the NSA office or any security agency on the planned probe.

But the security source, who confided in one of our correspondents,  stated, “ If we can’t meet him this week, latest next week we will definitely  quiz him.

“We have not fixed a definite time. All I can say for now is  that he cannot escape security interrogation. He is not above the law.”

It was learnt that the Presidency was considering the security implication of Nyako’s letter, which the government thought was capable of inciting the military.

A Presidency source stated, “There is no way Nyako will not be probed. It is only an unserious government that would not examine the grave allegations contained in the letter. There is no way that such a thing would be allowed to go like that.

“One thing the Presidency and other security agencies will like to know is who is behind Nyako. As a well trained military officer, who was a former Chief of Naval Staff, Nyako knows the implication of what he has done.”

It was gathered that security agencies  were working on the fact that the governor was not acting alone as there could be other people supporting him.

The Presidency source said, “When Nyako talks about the North, which  North is he referring to? Is he referring to the Boko Haram North? Is he referring to his cabal in the North? Is he talking about the almajiris; the poor in the North?”

It was learnt that the Presidency was being diplomatic about the probe in order not to attract sympathy for the governor.

The SSS could not be reached for comment. Its spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, did not respond to calls to her phone. Also, she did not respond to a text message.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, could also not be reached for comment. Calls made to his phone indicated that it was not available.

But when contacted, Nyako expressed readiness to submit himself  for  a probe over the contents of his letter to his northern colleagues.

Nyako, who spoke through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmad Sajoh, said the issues raised in the letter were germane.

He said “The issues we raised in the letter are germane. It is an open secret, a known fact that these people (insurgents) operate mostly at night in our state and we are supposed to have a night time curfew in place under the state of emergency.”