The Department of State Services, DSS, on Tuesday paraded suspects in close link with the Australian hostage negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis, over their collaboration with certain individuals in Borno State to denigrate former governor Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika on alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast.
DAILY POST reports that the suspects, who confessed to have been induced, named some powerful individuals and some commissioners in the service of Borno State government as their sponsors.
The Deputy Director, DSS Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar said more revelations would be made in due course, assuring that all perpetrators would be brought to book.
She also warned individuals and groups who play script of some disgruntled element for a pay cheque to desist from such act as the law would catch up with them soon.
Below is a statement issued and signed by the DSS spokesperson:
“Recall that on 29th August 2014, one Steven DAVIS, an Australian Self-styled negotiator for the Boko Haram sect had alleged that Ali Modu SHERIFF (Sen) and Azubuike IHEJIRIKA (Lt.Gen/rtd), former Governor of Borno State and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) respectively were among chief sponsors of the Boko Haram sect. DAVIS premised his ‘findings’ on discussions with several field commanders of the Sect who allegedly expressed willingness of the sect to negotiate with the Federal Government if DAVIS would spearhead such dialogue. To buttress this, he posted a photograph of himself taken in 2013 with some alleged Sect Members.
2. Based on the allegation, this Service initiated an in-depth investigation into the matter. Consequently, seven (7) associates of DAVIS were arrested and it has been established that they were part of a well orchestrated plan to spread falsehood, undermine and discredit efforts of government to end terrorism. Those arrested are:
i.Junaid Idrissa KHADI; ii.Abubakar YUSUF (a.k.a Baba Sani); iii.Saleh Alhaji IBRAHIM (a.k.a Liman IBRAHIM); iv.Abdullahi SALEH (a.k.a Babadale); v.Nurudeen IBRAHIM; vi.Mubarak ADAMU (a.k.a. Molo); and vii.Mustapha MAIDUGU ( a.k.a. Musty/Small)
JUNAID IDRISSA KHADI
3. KHADI is a 45 year old Kanuri man from Borno State. He was an aide to Borno State Governor, Kasim SHETTIMA. He confessed to the following; that he has known DAVIS since 2006; that he introduced one Aisha WAKIL (Barr/F) to DAVIS as a credible link to top members of the Boko Haram sect; That he and one General ASHAFA went with DAVIS on a journey to a remote part of Marte LGA, Borno State, on a false mission to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls. That he deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Ali Modu SHERIFF (Sen), former Governor of Borno State and one Mala OTHMAN, former State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as sponsors of the Boko Haram sect. This he said he did by mounting pressure on the fake Boko Haram Commanders, particularly Abubakar YUSUF (a.k.a Baba Sani) to affirm that SHERIFF was indeed a sponsor. A claim that would give 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; That DAVIS single handedly conjured the indictment on IHEJIRIKA based on allegations that the Military under the former COAS was responsible for the several failed attempts by DAVIS to make contact with the Presidency; He denied ever discussing with DAVIS that IHEJIRIKA (Lt. Gen/Rtd) was a Boko Haram sponsor. He stressed that at no time during their interactions were such allegations made against IHEJIRIKA (Lt.Gen/Rtd) and wondered why this should arise. That he organized several meetings between the purported Boko Haram Commanders and DAVIS in Abuja and was privy to a YouTube video, an interview on Voice of America (VOA) and he (KHADI) also used DAVIS’ Camera to capture snapshots of DAVIS in a group photograph with some fake commanders of the sect;
ABUBAKAR YUSUF (a.k.a Baba Sani)
4. YUSUF is 30 years old, from the Babur tribe in Biu LGA, Borno State. Until his arrest, he was a petty trader at Makama New Extension, Bauchi State. YUSUF was actively involved in the Boko Haram insurrection of 2009 as an armed foot soldier as well as a paramedic for the sect. He escaped from Maiduguri to Askira-Uba in Borno State and thereafter relocated to Bauchi metropolis, where he was eventually arrested. The following has been established against YUSUF: i.YUSUF was amongst those presented by Aisha WAKIL (Barr/F) to Borno State Governor between 2011 and 2012 as representatives who would negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis; ii.In February, 2013, YUSUF was introduced to DAVIS by Aisha WAKIL as a top-ranking Boko Haram member, who could facilitate DAVIS’ contact with the sect’s leadership even though she knew he was incapable; iii.YUSUF co-opted and presented Saleh Alhaji IBRAHIM, Abdullahi SALEH, Nurudeen IBRAHIM and Mubarak ADAMU to DAVIS as the sect’s Amirul Jeish (Grand Commanders). He also introduced one Yakubu KAUMI (Late Abu ZAMIRA) as a spokesperson for the sect; iv.YUSUF and some of the suspects mentioned above were part of the YouTube video, VOA interview and also appeared in the group photograph with DAVIS; v.YUSUF confessed to have made about four million Naira (N4m) from fake Boko Haram negotiations.
SALEH IBRAHIM (a.k.a. Liman IBRAHIM)
6. IBRAHIM is a 35 year old indigene of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Borno State. Until his arrest, he was a casual staff of Borno Radio Television (BRTV). He confessed to have joined the Boko Haram sect in 2003 and remained an ardent follower of late Mohammed YUSUF until 2005 when he quit the sect to join BRTV. While in the sect, he was a member of the Taskforce Committee on Vehicle Parking at Markaz, the sect’s enclave in Maiduguri. 7. He confessed to the following: i.That in 2013 he participated in a Government sponsored dialogue with the Boko Haram sect, and he was presented to the Amb. Hassan TUKUR and Tanimu TURAKI-led Committees as a top member of the sect’s Shura Council, a claim which was false; ii.That he and a few other persons granted an interview to the VOA and spoke extensively on the bogus Boko Haram ceasefire with the Federal Government; iii. That KHADI paid him three hundred thousand Naira (N300,000) for his role in the mischievous media campaign;
ABDULLAHI SALEH (a.k.a. Abu Adam Maisandari)
7. SALEH who claims to be between 28 and 30 years old is a Fulani indigene of Yola South LGA, Adamawa State. He also claims to be a 100 level student of Accounting at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi State. He confessed to the following: In August 2013, YUSUF introduced him with the alias Abu Adam Maisandari to DAVIS, WAKIL, KHADI, and the Tanimu TURAKI-led Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North-East; He participated in the group’s meetings with the TURAKI-led committee and was among the purported sect commanders who were interviewed by the VOA; He confessed to have made a total of one hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N150,000) from fake dealings with DAVIS and the TURAKI and TUKUR-led committees.
NURUDEEN IBRAHIM
8. IBRAHIM is 22 years old from Pali village, Alkaleri LGA in Bauchi State. He was introduced to YUSUF by his friend, Mubarak ADAMU. Upon his recruitment into the purported Boko Haram commanders’ group, he was introduced to DAVIS as well as the TURAKI-led committee as a representative of Abu ZAMIRA. He confessed to the following: That he participated in various meetings with the TURAKI-led committee, the VOA interview, featured in the YouTube video and was one of the hooded gang members in the group photograph with DAVIS; That his financial gains from the fake project with DAVIS and YUSUF’s groups amounted to about sixty-two thousand naira (N62,000).
MUBARAK ADAMU (a.k.a. Molo)
9. ADAMU is a 20 year old indigene of Darazo LGA, Bauchi State. He first came in contact with YUSUF in 2010 and was also subsequently introduced to DAVIS and the TURAKI-led Committee. He confessed that: He participated in the YouTube video, and was one of the hooded persons in a group photograph with DAVIS. According to him, he made a total of fifty-five thousand (N55, 000) from his participation in the scam.
MUSTAPHA MAIDUGU (a.k.a. Musty/Small)
10. MAIDUGU is a 35 year old Kanuri man from Yusufari LGA, Yobe State. Until his arrest, he resided at Shehuri North in Maiduguri, Borno State. MAIDUGU was a Technical Officer with the Estate Department of Yusufari LGA, Yobe State as well as the Secretary of Shehuri North Community Development and Youth Empowerment Association (SNCDYEA).
11. He confessed to the following:
i.That he was linked to DAVIS by Saleh IBRAHIM through phone; ii.That DAVIS facilitated his getting an ad-hoc job with UNICEF, which bordered on providing psychological support to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency; iii.That DAVIS tasked him with secretly recording the ordeal of female victims who allegedly escaped Boko Haram captivity. His fabrications were published by DAVIS under the widely circulated news headline, “160 Days after Chibok Abduction: Girls tell how they were raped every day – Negotiator Steven DAVIS”; iv.That he sent a copy of the Gaji GALTIMARI (Amb.) led Presidential Fact-Finding Committee Report to DAVIS, to which he received a reply via text message from DAVIS that read, “It is getting hotter for Sheriff now”; v.In all, MAIDUGU received the sum of two hundred and seventy two thousand Naira (N272, 000) and a laptop for working for DAVIS.
11. It is necessary to state here that DAVIS and his cohorts are among several other local and international groups who are out to make merchandize 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 amongst Nigerians and our esteemed allies in the war against terror.
12. We want to reiterate once more, that this Service is committed to bringing to justice all who sponsor or partake in the publication of subversive reports against this country. We shall not rest on our oars until our country is rid of all unwholesome activities.
13. Thank you and God bless. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
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