“If I Perish, God Help Nigeria” – Mailafia Says After Grilling By DSS Over Boko Haram Comment

A Former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia has been released after about 4-hour interrogation by the Department of State Services (DSS) in their office in Jos, Plateau State.

KanyiDaily recalls that the DSS had on Monday invited Mailafia for the third time over his claim that a northern governor is the leader of Boko Haram.

Mailafia, who arrived the Jos office of the DSS around 11 a.m, did not regain his freedom until about 2.50 p.m, when he emerged into the waiting embrace of his sympathisers who had thronged the DSS office.

Speaking with reporters shortly after he was released by the DSS, Mailafia said that he has no evidence to back his allegations that an unnamed Northern governor was a sponsor of Boko Haram bandits killing Nigerians.

Mailafia said the DSS exhibited high sense of professionalism in the way the operatives handled the matter as was not maltreated or intimidated in any guise, but urged them to ensure that this should be the last invitation to him on the issue.

“I had a routine appearance with the Department State Security, Plateau State Command. I am very pleased that I was treated very professionally. There was no harassment or intimidation,” he said.

“Over a month ago when I gave a radio interview, based on what I heard. If I had my way there are few things I would say differently, but I spoke on the spur of the moments, and I believed that it was a matter of greater urgency to make a wake-up call to what is happening.

“I didn’t really mean to say that the government was part and parcel of the killings, I implied that they could do better because thousands are dying, innocent women and children, elderly and youths.

“But if I have my way I would have put it I better language, and I have no way of corroborating some of these things, I heard it and I could have follow them into their camps to confirm because I might not come back to tell the story, so that is the reality,” he said.

On his earlier claim that his life being threatened, he said though he has no evidence, he believes his life is under threat.

“I have indicated that I have reason to believe that my life has been in danger. I have no conclusive proof but I get threat, I get calls. Where I was staying, on Thursday, I saw some strange people at the gate trying to break in. I jumped the fence and escaped because I don’t know who they are.”

“What l said has nothing to do with politics, I only spoke as a free citizen of this country and as such, l am the voice of the thousands of the voiceless of the citizens of this country. Muslims and Christian youths have taken and accepted me as their voice. So, I am the voice of the holy martyrs, so if l perish, l perish. God help Nigeria.

“I am ready to perish for speaking the mind of millions of Nigerians over the incessant killings of innocent citizens going on currently in the country,”

Mr Mailafia explained that he was told that some prominent Nigerians have hired some assassins to eliminate him.

When asked to name those planning to kill him, he answered in the negative “No, (I don’t have), and even if I do, I don’t think I should tell you.”

“When I said I am going to the lion’s den, it is an expression of the respect I have for the authority, and DSS is a symbol of authority, so I did not mean it in a negative way,” DSS said.

Mailafia said the DSS has not manhandled him in the course of interrogation since the beginning of his case. He assured that he will continue to cooperate with the SSS to get to the truth of the matter.

He, however, said he does not know if he can continue to honour future DSS invitations, because his life is in danger travelling on the road.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Nigerian Police had also invited Mailafia to appear at their Headquarters in Abuja for “criminal investigation”, but he shunned the invitation and approached Jos High Court for the enforcement of his fundamental rights to personal liberty and fair hearing.