Bauchi State governor, Dr. Isa Yuguda, on Friday night in Lagos, faulted the claim that some Northern governors were financing members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, submitting that it would be a tragedy for any governor to do so.

Also, he said the clamour for the convocation of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC) by eminent leaders in the country was uncalled for, noting that each constituency in the country has representative at the National Assembly.

Delivering a lecture on Nigeria’s unity and the stability of the West African Sub-Region at the Lagos Island Club, Lagos, he called on the political leaders in the Country to do something about the insurgence of Boko Haram, adding that if not checked the nation may explode, leading to a general breakdown of law and order.

Describing the activities of Boko Haram as acts of criminality, Dr. Yuguda said members of the group were committing crime against the state, an act that is punishable under the law.

His words, “they are not Moslem and should not be addressed as one. Islam forbids violence, talkless of taking lives of fellow beings. Youths taking up arms is criminal whether they are from the North or elsewhere in the country. To me criminality is criminality.”

Expressing fear over the present security situation in the country, He said the outbreak of war or disintegration would do the country no good, calling on the government in the West Africa sub-region to put in place necessary apparatus to control and curtail proliferation of small arms and light weapons that have become loose and available throughout the ECOWAS sub region.

Dr. Yuguda said rather than beating the drums of war, people should concentrate their effort on defeating the forces of disunity. In the event of war, according to the governor, people in the sub-region would run helter- skelter; Nigerians rushing out, foreigners trooping in. The whole continent will resemble a madhouse. Not only will this overstretch the resources of the countries, it may spark a social explosion.

Stressing the needs for promotion of inter-religious dialogue among the people, the governor said it would assist in unifying the people, advising that only experts should preach, and, hopefully, when they do, they will only preach those things that will unite rather than divide.
Instead of the calls for the Sovereign National Conference, he said steps should be taken to give back powers that belonged to federating units which the centre had usurped due to military rule.