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The Department of State Services has arrested fake Boko Haram negotiators whose confession implicated Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and the United Nations Children Education Funds which employed one of the suspects through the help of Stephen Davis, the notorious Australian self-acclaimed Boko Haram negotiator

|  By Maureen Chigbo  |  Dec. 29, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT  |

THE current feverish political condition in the country is making Nigerians to ignore an important development which happened in the country last week. It has to do with the fake Boko Haram negotiators which the Department of State Services, DSS, paraded before journalists on December 10, to debunk the grievous allegations one Steven Davis, the notorious Australian self-acclaimed negotiator, made against the former governor of Borno State, Ali Amodu Sheriff and Azubuike Ihejirika, former chief of army staff. Considering the uproar the allegation generated with All Progressives Congress, APC, and some prominent individuals in the country including Nasir El Rufai, now Kaduna governorship candidate under the platform of APC, made over the issue, one is at a lost that Nigerians are not calling for the head of Davis for misleading the country and turning the Boko Haram misadventure into a money spinning venture for base human beings like him who delight in profiting from the shedding of the blood of innocent Nigerian children, women and men, not to talk of the fate of about 7000 displaced people because of the terrorist activities of the violent Islamic sect.

Politics aside, the revelation of the DSS points to the fact how gullible Nigerians have become in believing the worst about their country and the inability of the military and the security agencies to fight unconventional war in the country and to appreciate the fact that foreigners are fueling the murder of our people as can be attested by the gruesome role Davis played in fooling Nigerians and raising the temperature of the country unnecessarily.  That is, if the revelation by DSS is anything but the truth and not one of intelligence services known act at disinformation or misinformation.

If the tale of DSS on fake Boko Haram negotiators is to be believed, it behoves on the country to have a rethink, especially the elite on how the go overboard in believing puerile tales about the country and its leaders. This is why the DSS story had to be recapped and examined vis-à-vis the escalating terrorism in the North Eastern part of the country, especially as those implicated in the confessions of the suspects namely Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno State and United Nations Children Education Fund, UNICEF, which employed one of the suspects.

According to DSS, on August 29, Davis, a notorious Australian self-styled negotiator for the Boko Haram sect, had alleged that Senator Sheriff and Ihejirika, a retired army general, 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.

Based on the allegation, the DSS initiated an in-depth investigation into the matter. Consequently, seven 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 by the DSS include Junaid Idrissa Khadi, Abubakar Yusuf (a.k.a Baba Sani); Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim (a.k.a Liman Ibrahim); Abdullahi Saleh (a.k.a Babadale); Nurudeen Ibrahim; Mubarak Adamu (a.k.a. Molo), and Mustapha Maidugu (a.k.a. Musty/Small).

Detailed confessions of Khadi, 45, showed that he is a Kanuri man from Borno State. He was an aide Shettima, Borno State governor, who confessed to have 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. He also said that he and one General Ashafa went with the Australian on a journey to a remote part of Marte Local government Area, Borno State, on a false mission to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls.

According to the suspect, he deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Sheriff, 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. This claim was expected to 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. According to him, 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. Khadi 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 also admitted that organising 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 also used Davis’ camera to capture snapshots of the Australian in a group photograph with some fake commanders of the sect. It is instructive that since the DSS made this public Shettima has not denied the allegations and his spokesperson has not challenged the DSS to provided evidence of the allegation made against the Borno State governor thereby solidifying the belief in certain quarters that the governor, as the chief security officer of the state knows more than he is willing to admit publicly about the terrorism going on in his state.

This view is corroborated by the confessions of another suspect Yusuf, a.k.a Baba Sani, 30, 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.  He 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.  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.

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. Yusuf and some of the suspects were part of the YouTube, video, VOA interview and also appeared in the group photograph with Davis. Yusuf confessed to have made about N4 million from fake Boko

Haram negotiations.

In the case of Saleh Ibrahim, a.k.a. Liman Ibrahim), a 35-year old indigene of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC, Borno State, was until his arrest, 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. He confessed that in 2013 he participated in a government sponsored dialogue with the Boko Haram sect, and he was presented to the Ambassador Hassan Tukur and Tanimu Turaki-Ied committees as a top member of the sect’s Shura Council, a claim which was false. He said himself and a few other persons granted an interview to the VOA and spoke extensively on the bogus Boko Haram ceasefire with the federal government. According to him, Khadi paid him N300,000 for his role in the mischievous media campaign.

Another suspect Abdullahi Saleh, a.k.a. Abu Adam Maisandari, 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 that in August 2013, Yusuf introduced him with the alias Abu Adam Maisandari to Davis, Wakil, Khadi, and the Tanimu Turaki-Ied 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  N150,000 from fake dealings with Davis and the Turaki-Ied committees.

Also, Nurudeen Ibrahim, 22, from Pali village, Alkaleri local government area in Bauchi State, 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-Ied committee as a representative of Abu Zamira. He confessed 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).

Also, Adamu, a.k.a. Molo, a 20-year-old indigene of Darazo lGA, Bauchi State 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 N55, 000 from his participation in the scam.

Maidugu, a.k.a. Musty/Small, 35, a Kanuri man from Yusufari local government area, Yobe State, until his arrest, resided at Shehuri North in Maiduguri, Borno State. Maidugu was a technical officer with the Estate Department of Yusufari local government area, Yobe State as well as the secretary of Shehuri North Community Development and Youth Empowerment Association, SNCDYEA.

He confessed to being linked to Davis by Saleh Ibrahim through phone and that the Australian facilitated his getting an ad-hoc job with United Nations Children Education Fund, UNICEF, which bordered on providing psychological support to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency. He said 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”. According to the suspect, 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”. In all, Maidugu received the sum of N272, 000 and a laptop for working for Davis.

Based on the confessions of the suspects, the DSS said it was necessary to state that Davis and his cohorts were 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 amongst Nigerians and our esteemed allies in the war against terror. 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, according to a statement signed and published Marilyn OGAR, deputy director. Public Relations, Department of State Services, Abuja on December 10, in the SUN newspaper.

Since the public parade of the suspects, there appears to be a conspiracy of silence on the part of the people implicated  in the confessions of the suspects, namely the Borno governor and the UNICEF. Nine days after the DSS briefings neither the Borno State government and UNICEF have denied the allegations. UNICEF in particular has not come out to disown the suspect who claimed to have worked with the UN body.  Thus the impression is being created that if the remain silent the matter will die a natural death. The implication of this line of thinking is that many will believe that the UNICEF is wittingly or unwittingly aiding and abetting the insurgency in the country. It also raises the question of how Davis was able to influence the employment of the suspect by UNICEF? Are there people in UNICEF who are moles of foreign governments working together with the insurgents to destablise Nigeria?  This is why Ebongabasi Ekpe-Juda, a Lagos-based security analyst, told Realnews that “this is one case where UNICEF silence cannot be golden. “This silence cannot be golden. If they are not involved, why have they not refuted it?” he asked. According to Ekpe Juda, the conspiracy of silence on the issue of Boko Haram as a whole stretches to the top echelons of government who have not been telling Nigerians all there is to know about the Boko Haram insurgency and the kidnap of the Chibok girls. “It is an abnormal situation. An organisation like UNICEF is implicated. It leaves much to be desired. …There is much that meets the eye. Nigerian governments attitude is suspect, Coming to UNICEF, if it is not true, they would have opened up,” Ekpe-Juda said.

Suffice it to say that the allegations are weighty and the DSS is also silent on what it is doing to fish out the collaborator in the UN body on Nigeria’s soil and make their names public. It has also not declared Davis a persona non grata in the country just like the United States of America did with Julian Asange, the Australian Wiki Leaks originator.

Nonetheless, it is also instructive that a day after DSS published the confessions of the suspect in the newspaper the Borno governor found his voice when he went on Channels television to announce that 20 local governments have been taken by Boko Haram in his state which is hotbed of the sects nefarious activities without so much as making a comment about the allegations.. His silence on the allegations could be wrongly perceived and goes on to reinforce the position of Professor Anya O. Anya, who agonisingly told Realnews recently, that there is no country in the world where the elite speak so derogatorily about the government and its leaders than in Nigeria just because of selfish reasons. This observation is germane going by the fact that the elite is seeing only problem without acknowledging the effort of the government to end terrorism in the country. Going by Shettima’s statement on Channels which laid more emphasise on the havoc Boko Haram is doing thereby creating the impression that the military was actually doing nothing to help the situation.

The apparent conspiracy of silence notwithstanding, there is need for all and sundry to play their part effectively to ensure that terrorism in the country is contained. The security agencies alone cannot do the onerous job at hand. Nigerians, especially the elites must wake up, criticise objectively and remain vigilant before foreign engineered terrorism wreck the ship of the

STATEMENT BY DSS ON FAKE BOKO HARAM NEGOTIATORS

Recall that on 29th August 2014, one Steven DAVIS, an Australian Self-styled negotiator tor the Boko Haram sect had alleged that AIi 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:

1. Junaid Idrissa KHADI;
2. Abubakar YUSUF (a.k.a Baba Sani);

iii.     Saleh Alhaji IBRAHIM (a.k.a Liman IBRAHIM);

1. Abdullahi SALEH (a.k.a Babadale);
2. Nurudeen IBRAHIM;
3. 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 SHETIIMA. 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:
5. 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:
6. In February, 2013, YUSUF was introduced to DAVIS by Aisha WAKll 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;

1. 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;
2. YUSUF confessed to have made about four million Naira (N4m) from fake Boko Haram negotiations.

 

SALEH IBRAHIM (a.k.a. Liman IBRAHIM)

5. IBRAHIM is a 3S 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.
6. He confessed to the following:
7. 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-Ied Committees as a top member of the sect’s Shura Council, a claim which was false;
8. 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-Ied 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-Ied committees.

 

NURUDEEN IBRAHI

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-Ied 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)

1. 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).

 

1. He confessed to the following:
2. That he was linked to DAVIS by Saleh IBRAHIM through phone;
3. 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”;

1. 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”; n
2. In all, MAIDUGU received the sum of two hundred and seventy two thousand Naira (N272, 000) and a laptop for working for DAVIS.
3. It is necessary t6 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.
4. 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.
5. Thank you and God bless. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Marilyn OGAR, msi

Deputy Director. Public Relations,

Department of State Services, Abuja

10th December, 2014

 

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