TheCable

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday paraded “seven associates” of Australian Stephen Davis as Boko Haram impostors.

The paraded suspects were Junaid Idrissa Khadi, an aide of Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state; Abubakar Yusuf; Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim; Abdullah Saleh; Nurudeen Ibrahim; Mubarak Adamu and Mustapha Maidugu.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson of‎ the DSS, said the suspects were arrested following investigations into the allegations of Davis against Ali Modu Sherrif, former Borno state governor; and Azubuike Ihejirika, erstwhile chief of army staff.

Davis had named Sherrif and Ihejirika as sponsors of Boko Haram.

“Recall that on August 29, 2014, one Stephen Davis, an Australian self-styled negotiator for Boko Haram had alleged that Ali Modu Sherrif and Azubuike Ihejirika were among the chief sponsors of the Boko Haram sect,” Ogar said.

“Based on the allegation‎, this service initiated an in-depth investigation into the matter. Consequently, seven associates of Davis were arrested and it has been established that they are part of well-orchestrated plan to spread falsehood, undermine and discredit efforts of the government to end terrorism.”

According to Ogar, Khadi, a 45-year-old Kanuri man from Borno state confessed that he had known Davis since 2006.

“He confessed that he introduced one Aisha Wakil to Davis as a credible link to top members of the Boko Haram sect,” she said.

“That he and one general Ashafa went with Davis on a journey to a remote part of Marte local government, Borno state, on a false mission to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls.

“That he deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Ali Modu Sherrif, 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 to affirm that Sherrif 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 chief of army staff was responsible for the several failed attempts by Davis 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.

“That he organised 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.”

Regarding another suspect, Abubakar Yusuf , a 30-year-old man from Biu local government in Borno state, she disclosed that he was a former member of Boko Haram.

“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,” she said.

“Yusuf was among those presented by Aisha Wakil 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 mentioned above 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.”

Speaking about Saleh Ibrahim, a 35-year-old native of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council in Borno state, Ogar disclosed that the suspect joined Boko Haram in 2003, but later left the sect for a job at Borno Radio Television.

“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 task force committee on vehicle parking at Markaz, the sect’s enclave in Maiduguri,” she explained.

She added that he confessed to the following:

“That in 2013, he participated in a government-sponsored dialogue with the Boko Haram sect, and he was presented to the Hassan Tukur and Tanimu Turaki-led committees as a top member of the sect’s Shura council, a claim which was false.

“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.

“That Khadi paid him N300, 000 for his role in the mischievous media campaign.”

Regarding Abdullahi Saleh, a Fulani from Yola south local government area in Adamawa state, who claims to be between 28 and 30 years old and also a 100 level student of accounting at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi state, the DSS spokesperson said he confessed that 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 northeast.

“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,” she added.

“He confessed to have made N150, 000 from fake dealings with Davis and the Turaki and Tukur-led committees.”

Ogar said another suspect, Nurudeen Ibrahim, a 22-year-old man 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-led committee as a representative of Abu Zamira,” she stated.

“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 N62, 000.”

While for Mubarak Adamu, a 20-year-old native of Darazo local government area in Bauchi state, who first came in contact with Yusuf in 2010 and was also introduced to Davis and the Turaki-led committee, Ogar said 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 N55, 000 from his participation in the scam,” she added.

Also for Mustapha Maidugu, a 35-year-old Kanuri man from Yusufari local government in Yobe state, Ogar said he resided at Shehuri north in Maiduguri, Borno state, adding that he was a technical officer with the estate department of Yusufari local government area in Yobe state as well as the secretary of Shehuri North Community Development and Youth Empowerment Association (SNCDYEA).

She said he confessed to the following: “That he was linked to Davis by Saleh Ibrahim through phone;

“That Davis facilitated his getting an ad-hoc job with UNICEF, which bordered on providing psychological support to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency;

“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’;

“That he sent a copy of the Gaji Galtimari-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.”

Ogar further stated that Davis and his associates were among several other local and international groups who were out to make merchandise of the 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,” she added.

“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.

Earlier on Sunday, Sunday Times of London reported that Mustapha Maidugu, a humanitarian worker who helps girls who have escaped from Boko Haram detention, was imprisoned without charge by the DSS.

It said the arrest was motivated by Maidugu’s ties with Davis, who has repeatedly accused powerful Nigerian figures of bankrolling Boko Haram.