The chairman of Kaga Local Government, Borno State, Alhaji Lawal Wasaram, on Thursday, denied the claim by the Nigerian Army that it had arrested the vice chairman of the council, Mallam Mustapha Bukar, for alleged link with the Boko Haram sect.
Wasaram made the denial in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.
He said the allegation was not only untrue, but a misinterpretation of facts.
“The attention of my council has been drawn to an allegation made by the Theatre Commander, Major-General Lucky Irabor, during a live press briefing on Operation Rescue Final on Wednesday.
“The military claimed that they had arrested my deputy, Mallam Mustapha Bukar, and that he is in their custody for complicity with Boko Haram.
“I, therefore, stress that the report was untrue and a total misinterpretation of facts. Neither my deputy nor councillors are being investigated or detained over any criminal offence.
“We, therefore, advise that the military issues a press statement to refute and exonerate him from this serious allegation before it becomes a potential threat to his life and integrity.
“We also regret that this allegation was already aired on NTA, Channels and many online media,” Wasaram said.
Major-General Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, in his response, told NAN that the claim was a mistake.
“We have sorted this out since yesterday. The vice-chairman of Bama Local Government is the one in our custody and currently being investigated,” said Irabor.