Rep sacks aide for describing Shekau as ‘true hero’ but Buhari keeps terror-linked Pantami

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For describing Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader as a “true hero”, Abdulkadir Rahis, a member of the house of representatives from Borno State has sacked his aide.

The sacked aide, Bukar Tanda, wrote on Facebook on Thursday that Mr Shekau “lived a life of hero and died a true hero.”

POLITICS NIGERIA reported how the terrorist leader reportedly killed himself with a bomb on Wednesday to avoid being captured by fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). ISWAP is a breakaway faction of Boko Haram and both groups have been terrorising Nigeria for several years.

Mr Shekau served as deputy leader to Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, until Yusuf was executed in 2009.  He took responsibility for killings and abductions of students in the northeast.

In one prominent incident, he took credit for the kidnapping of over 200 school girls in April 2014. He also announced that the kidnapped girls have been converted to Islam. Before he was announced dead last week, authorities believed he was killed in 2009 during clashes between security forces and Boko Haram until July 2010, when he  appeared in a video claiming leadership of the group.

But an investigation by HumAngle, a conflict reporting medium explained that Mr Shekau killed himself by detonating a suicide vest last week. In reaction to the terrorist’s death, Mr Tanda said: “I admire and appreciate his courage to terminate his life. He lived the life of a hero and died a true hero. He did it in such a way that not even traces of his corpse will be found,” he wrote.

His principal, Mr Rahis who was not happy with the post issued Mr Tanda a letter of dismissal.

“I wish to formally write and notify you of the termination of your appointment as my legislative aide, forthwith,” Rahis said in a letter he personally signed.

“Your actions, utterances and opinion of recent are at variance with my interest, that of my constituency and our great party, the APC.

“The letter also serves as a disclaimer to any action or position you took or wish to take, on any matter that may have the remotest connection with me as a person or my office.”

The action taken by the lawmaker comes weeks after Nigerians demanded the removal of Isa Pantami as Minister of Communication and Digital Strategy. Mr Pantami once described Osama bin Laden “a better Muslim than himself”.

There are also documents of him volunteering to command a militia to fight against Christians in a Plateau community.

He also reportedly offered public condolences to the notorious Al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musa’b al-Zarqawi. As the Chief Imam of a Nigerian university, he reportedly “issued a fatwa” on several Christian students on campus, leading to the eventual killing of one of them.

Mr Pantami has renounced his past statements, but calls for his resignation have continued to gain traction. Amidst the allegations, he was defended by President Muhammadu Buhari who continue to keep him in his cabinet.

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