CHAIRMAN of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has faulted claims by the military that Arewa leaders were sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency. He challenged the military to publish the names of the financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.

Yakassai told The Guardian in an interview at the weekend that already, the Buhari administration is doing well in the fight against insurgency, just as he noted that the war against terrorism would be won soon.

He said: “I think progress is being made in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency by the military, again through the combine efforts of the armed forces of four neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin. The amount of intense military bombardment is such that members of Boko Haram have no hiding place now.”

“The war against the insurgents is being fought both on the ground and in the air, and this is in a sustained effort than before. I believe that God’s willing by the end of this year the synergy will continue and eventually Boko Haram insurgents will be totally defeated.”

When asked that the military recently made a statement that some northern leaders and interests were sponsoring the group and thereby inhibiting its effort, Yakassai remarked: “You see, what the military is saying in this regard is not logical.”

“Why should a northerner support the killing of his own fellow northerner? For what reason? It doesn’t make sense to me. And I don’t think it will make sense to any right thinking person that some northern leaders will be sponsoring Boko Haram to kill their own people.”

Condemning the recent attacks by Boko Haram, the Arewa elder advised the military to “build on the synergy that they have established with their counterparts from the four neighbouring countries.”