Immediate Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, was attacked yesterday in the state capital Maiduguri by aggrieved youths who pointedly accused him of being behind the Boko Haram terrorism that has made life a nightmare in Nigeria’s North-East.

“The youths, who had lined up the street leading to the Shehu of Borno palace as if they had congregated to welcome the erstwhile governor, who has not been sighted in the state for a long time, immediately on sighting the long convoy of Sheriff, demanded that he should turn back,” says a THISDAY report.

According to the report, 21 cars in the entourage of the former governor were damaged by the youths who accused him of instigating the Boko Haram uprising in insecurity in the state while the Shehu of Borno’s palace was also destroyed by the angry youths.

An eyewitness, Abba Kolomi, a resident of Shehuri, was quoted as telling journalists that the youths, numbering about 100, had attacked the convoy of the former governor, after he ignored their demand that he should turn back.

He quoted the youths as saying they did not want to see Sheriff in the state and challenged him to stay away as he had done at the peak of the Boko Haram crisis.

Kolomi, according to the report, said the youths described the former governor as a coward, who wanted to take advantage of the relative peace in Maiduguri to advance his political career.

Another resident of Shehuri, Modu Ibrahim, was quoted as telling journalists that the youths were seen lining up the streets by 1p.m. when news filtered in that the former governor was paying a visit to the Shehu of Borno.

Ibrahim said the former governor was sighted at about 3p.m. with his convoy and was greeted by the irate youths, who were supported by the residents of the area to boo Sheriff and pelt his convoy with stones, sachets of water and wood.

He said: “As soon as he (Sheriff) was sighted, the youths threw stones, sachets of pure water and firewood at his convoy. They tore his posters and threw it at his convoy.

“The youths shouted ‘we do not like you get out of here. You are the cause of our problems, you are the cause of Borno problem, you brought Boko Haram crisis on the state.”

Ibrahim said the former governor had to be ferried into the palace of the traditional ruler by his security detail as the atmosphere was becoming charged.

He explained that Sherrif, who spent a few minutes with the ruler had to be driven away from the palace in another vehicle as the irate youths vandalised the car he came in.

THISDAY said “all attempts to get the response of the former governor was unsuccessful, but a political associate who does not want his name mentioned, blamed the attack on Sheriff on his political opponents, especially the governor’s associates who had fingered him in the early attack on Shettima.”

•Photo shows former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

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