Borno Commissioner Saina Buba has defended his controversial “cut off fingers” statement, saying it was merely figurative and directed at APC members accused of working against the party, rather than opposition politicians. The commissioner addressed the controversy on Monday at a press briefing in Maiduguri, following strong reactions to a statement he made during a […]
Borno Commissioner Saina Buba has defended his controversial “cut off fingers” statement, saying it was merely figurative and directed at APC members accused of working against the party, rather than opposition politicians.
The commissioner addressed the controversy on Monday at a press briefing in Maiduguri, following strong reactions to a statement he made during a political gathering two days earlier.
Buba had spoken on Saturday at an event organised by the City Boy Movement, a political support group campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 bid.
While addressing the gathering, the commissioner warned against opposition to the Borno State Government and said those who “raised their fingers” against his camp would face similar action.
“If you raise your fingers again, we will cut them off,” Buba said in remarks that were captured on video and circulated widely.
The statement generated reactions after it was interpreted as a threat against opposition members and critics of the government.
But Buba has now rejected that interpretation, saying he was speaking to APC members from the North-East who attended the event and had allegedly become involved in anti-party activities.
He explained that the gathering was not a meeting of opposition parties but an APC-related programme focused on economic empowerment, skills development, self-reliance and improved livelihoods for party supporters.
According to the commissioner, tensions emerged among some APC members following the party’s primaries, with some allegedly beginning to work against APC candidates.
Buba said his warning was therefore aimed at reminding such members that loyalty to the party would determine access to empowerment and welfare opportunities.
He explained that his reference to cutting off fingers was a figurative way of saying that government support and empowerment packages would not be extended to people engaging in anti-party activities.
The commissioner maintained that he had no apology to offer for the statement, insisting that it was made before people who understood the political context of his remarks.
He also warned that political attacks from opposition groups would increase as the 2027 election approaches.
Despite the controversy, Buba expressed strong confidence in the APC’s electoral prospects in Borno, declaring that there was no opposition capable of stopping the party in the state.
He attributed the expected dominance of the APC to what he described as numerous people-oriented projects carried out by both the Borno State Government and the Federal Government.
The commissioner’s clarification comes amid heightened political mobilisation across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians increasingly taking stronger positions against opponents and internal dissenters.
While Buba insists that the controversial phrase was figurative, his original statement has continued to generate attention because of the language used in warning those accused of opposing the ruling party.