Indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government negotiated
with fake members of the Boko Haram terrorist group in its bid to
proffer solution to the scourge of terror that has bedeviled the nation
since 2009.
The revelation came even as the Department of State Security Service,
DSS, announced the arrest of an aide to Governor Kashim Shettima of
Borno State, Mr. Junaid Idrissa Khadi.
The agency also paraded several suspects, which it said were part of a well-orchestrated plan
to spread falsehood, undermine and discredit efforts of the government
to end terrorism.
In August, an Australian, Stephen Davis had alleged that former Borno
State governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and former Army chief, Gen.
Azubuike Ihejirika, were among the chief sponsors of the Boko Haram
sect.
Davis had premised his “findings” on discussions with several field
commanders of the sect, who allegedly expressed willingness to negotiate
with the Federal Government if he (David) would spearhead the dialogue.
He had also posted a photograph of himself taken in 2013 with some alleged sect members.
While the DSS said two out of the five hooded men in the picture were
still at large, it however gave the names of the other suspects as
Abubakar Yusuf, Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim, Abdullahi Salehn Nurudeen Ibrahim,
Mubarak Admu and Mustapha Maidugu.
Spokeswoman of the DSS, Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, who paraded the suspects
in Abuja, said Khadi confessed to have known Davis since 2006.
According to the DSS spokesperson, Khadi said he deliberately
conspired to blackmail and implicate ex-governor Ali Modu Sheriff and
one Mala Othman, a former state Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress APC as sponsors of Boko Haram.
He said the claim was to add weight to their own scam and compel the Federal Government to negotiate with the fraudulent group.
“However, when the attempt failed, he sold the idea directly to Davis,” Ogar said.
Khadi also said it was Davis, who single-handedly conjured the
indictment of Ihejirika based on allegations that the military under the
former army chief was responsible for the several failed attempts by
the Australian to make contact with the Presidency.
“He denied ever discussing with Davis that Ihejirika was a Boko Haram
sponsor. He stressed that at no time during their interactions were
such allegations made against Ihejirika and wondered why this should
arise.
“He organised several meetings between the purported Boko Haram commanders and Davis in Abuja and was privy to a You Tube video, an interview on the Voice of America
and he also used Davis’ camera to capture snapshots of Davis in a group
photograph with some fake commanders of the sect,” the DSS explained.
On his part, Abubakar Yusuf, who said he was introduced to the Borno
State governor by one Barrister Aisha Wakil said he got N4m from the
fake Boko Haram negotiations with the Federal Government.
Ogar said Davis and his cohorts are among several other local and
international groups who are out to make merchandise of the Boko Haram
insurgency through concocted and fabricated stories.
“These subversive campaigns are also aimed at permeating and shaping
political discourse as well as challenge the integrity of our national
security and stir discontent among Nigerians and our esteemed allies in
the war against terror,” Ogar said.
She added that the DSS is committed to bringing to justice all those
who sponsor or partake in the publication of subversive reports against
Nigeria.
The Borno State government yesterday reacted to the arrest, saying
Khadi was first appointed by Modu Sheriff in 2010 and was only retained
by Governor Shettima in 2011 on Sheriff’s request.
A statement signed by Isa Gusau, Media Associate to Governor Kashim Shettima said: “I am compelled to
respond to enquiries by the media following the display of Alhaji Junaid
Idrissa Khadi by a security agency today after he was said to have been
arrested by the agency.
“While it is not the tradition of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno
State to join issues with security agencies as he holds each of them in
high esteem, we are concerned about an insinuation concerning the status
of Khadi who was presented as an aide to the governor.
“We don’t want to question the integrity of the security agency
involved and hence cannot out rightly allege political motive to bring
Governor Shettima’s image to disrepute.
“First, let it be noted that our clarification here is not intended
to pronounce Khadi guilty of whatever reasons that led to his arrest.
The clarification is simply to put the records in their proper
perspective.
“Alhaji Junaid Idrissa Khadi was a special adviser to Governor
Shettima following his appointment in 2013 on the insistence of
ex-governor Modu Sheriff who at that time had the listening ears of his
successor.
“Khadi is known to be an associate of Modu Sheriff. It was Sheriff as
governor that first appointed Khadi in 2010 as one of his special
advisers without known designation given the fact most advisers under
Sheriff as governor, had no clear jurisdiction.
“When Shettima succeeded Sheriff as governor in 2011, he appointed his advisers without Khadi.
“Sheriff persistently requested that Shettima appoint Khadi as an
adviser in charge of religious affairs, which the governor later
accepted in 2013, two years after other advisers were already in office.
Source:
National Mirror
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