Borno CJTF President Suspended Over Vehicles’ Misappropriation

The Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State has suspended its President, Lawan Ja’afar, over an allegation of misappropriation of vehicles donated to the organisation by the State Government.

The suspension was announced by the group’s Auditor General, Malam Bashir Abbas, at a news conference on Sunday in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Abbas said the decision was reached after a series of meetings and deliberations by the leadership and members of the organisation, citing Article 6 Rule 2 (vi) of the CJTF Constitution.

He said the leadership unanimously decided to suspend Ja’afar, who was alleged to have misappropriated some Hilux vehicles given to the organisation by the Borno State Government for operational purposes.

He said: “He also diverted two other Hilux vehicles given to the organisation by NNPCL for operational purposes too.

“The leadership is also announcing to the general public its decision pursuant to Article 6, Rule 1 of the CJTF Constitution to appoint Baba Shehu Abdulganiyu as the acting president of the organisation, who doubles as the Commander Sector 4 CJTF.

“Baba Shehu will be the leader of the organisation till a substantive leader is appointed.

“The leadership has also decided to reinstate Babakura Mustapha, Abba Aji Kalli, Abba Tijjani Sadiq and Barrister Jibrin Tela Gunda, who was suspended from 2022.”

Reacting to the allegation in a chat with reporters, Ja’afar refuted the allegation that he diverted 13 Toyota Hilux vehicles donated by the Borno State Government.

The embattled CJTF president stated that the vehicles were sold to all members as scraps, of which he also bought some of them.

He, however, said that his suspension is null and void as five people out of 27 could not suspend him.