‘Boko Haram sponsors now under detention’ – AGF Malami

Federal Government says it has identified and detained some sponsors of the terrorist organization, Boko Haram.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who spoke in New York, Thursday, said the government was detaining “high profile individuals” responsible for funding terrorists’ activities in the country.

Malami assured the Muhammadu Buhari administration was determined to take stringent measures to counter insurgency.

“We have succeeded in identifying those that are responsible for funding terrorists”, he said.

“We have blocked the leakages associated with funding and embarking on aggressive investigation that is indeed impacting positively in term of the fight against terrorism.

“Investigation is ongoing and for the purpose of investigation, I wouldn’t like to be pre-emptive in terms of making disclosures that would have the effect of undermining the successes we are recording.

“One thing I can tell you for sure is that whatever we do in terms of detention and in terms of arrest is indeed backed by judicial process.

“We have indeed obtained a legitimate court order taking into consideration what we have presented before the court; the court eventually exercised its discretion in terms of granting orders that we can have them in custody,” he said.

The Nigerian authorities are receiving knocks for failing to publicize names of Boko Haram financiers after the revelation by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

While 285 suspects have reportedly been charged before a Federal High Court, only over 40 are being prosecuted by the government before the court based “on prima facie cases of terrorism.”

Those arrested are mostly foreign exchange dealers in the country who are alleged to have been funding operations of the terrorist organization through money laundering and round tripping.

They include: Saidu Ahmed, Ibrahim Sani Bello, Mustapha Musa Adamu, Abubakar Sadiq Garba, Hussein Adamu, Muhammed Sani Adam, Abdulrahman Ibrahim, Ghazali Yusuf, Yusuf Ali Yusuf, Abubakar Adamu Yellow, Zahuraddeen Bashir, Haruna Garba Garo, Ibrahim Aliyu Usman, Hassan Idris, Musa Emma, Alhashim Mohammed Almashim, Baba Samaila, Bulama Tahir, Abubakar Ali, Mohammed Ambare, Danlami Hassan Nadabo, Danladi Talle Inuwa, Bashir Ali, Mansur Muhammad Usaman.

Others are Musa Tasiu Ya’u, Auwalu Ali Alhassan, Sadi Saidu Abdullahi, Suraj Adamu, Muhammed Auwalu, Ismaila Abdullaziz Mohammed, Munzali Ashiru Gambo, Yazid Muhammad Usman, Nabil Zakari, Gambo Auwalu, Muhammed Abba, Bashir Idris Shuaibu, Mohammed Yahaya, Auwalu Ibrahim, Abdullahi Umar Usman, Dahiru Umar Mohammed, Abdullahi Mohammed, Abubakar Yahaya, Hussaini Lawali Idrisu, Ladann Ibrahim, Nurudeen Gani Aliyu.

It would be recalled that over 400 persons were arrested by security agencies during a nationwide crackdown on suspected financiers and collaborators of terror groups in the country.

They were reportedly arrested in an operation being coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

They were reportedly being kept in military and DSS facilities in Abuja and other places.

It would be recalled that Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had in March 2021 said government arrested 400 Bureaux De Change operators for allegedly funding Boko Haram insurgency in the country, saying the suspects were transferring money to the terrorists.

A northern youth group had earlier this mo nth issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reveal the identities of the Boko haram sponsors, even it further demanded the resignation of the AGF Malami for aiding the activities of the terrorism financiers.

Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) had on August 26 given President Buhari and his government a 14-day ultimatum to publish the names of those in his administration said to be sponsoring the insurgent group, Boko Haram and other acts of terrorism in the country.

The ultimatum was sequel to allegations leveled by a retired Military Intelligence expert who claimed that the Federal Government of President Buhari is fully aware of the identities of those financing terror in the country.

NYCN, in a statement by its President, Isah Abubakar, Thursday, August 26, warned that failure to release the sponsors’ names by the Federal Government will leave the group with no other choice than to make the Buhari government ‘face the consequences.’

It would be recalled that a Military Intelligence expert, Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (rtd), had while featuring as a guest on the Channels TV morning programme, ‘Sunrise Daily, recently accused the present government of Nigeria of shielding known sponsors of terrorism and financially backing Boko Haram insurgents, as he further lamented that efforts to prosecute them have been blocked by serving members of the Buhari administration.

According to Olawunmi, a Professor of Intelligence and Global Security Studies, some of the sponsors are presently state governors and senators in the Buhari administration, who were identified and profiled, but are yet to be prosecuted.

Olawunmi further disclosed that he was member of a Committee that ‘interrogated a senior member of this government on Boko Haram related issues.’

“In April this year, the government said they had arrested 400 Bureau De Change (BDCs)-related people that were sponsoring Boko Haram. They told us.

“Try them, we know them. Why can’t this government, if not that they are partisan, why can they bring those people out for trial?” Olawunmi asked.

Referencing his time as a member of the military intelligence team in 2017, Olawunmi noted that there are some things he cannot disclose to the public.

“I can’t come on air and start mentioning names of people that are presently in government that the boys we arrested mentioned. Some of them are governors now. Some of them are in the Senate. Some of them are in Aso Rock,” Olawunmi said.

Reacting to Olawunmi comments, NYCN in its statement further told Buhari to sack the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, saying that he was ‘the first brought the issue of the sponsors of insecurity to the public with the promise of unveiling their identity but failed to do so.’

According to the NYCN, the AGF ’is not doing much in prosecuting Boko Haram and ISWAP elements that have been arrested and the over 400 Bureau de Change Operators that are either in the custody of our security agents or have probably regained their freedom.’

The Northern youth group also noted that ‘there can’t be peace without justice, hence, the office of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation should be occupied by a proactive and more intelligent person other than the snail-paced and docile Malami.’

They berated the present security situation in the country where ‘poor Northerners are the victims of terrorism and banditry,’ positing that ‘any attempt to further shield the identity of the Bureau De Change operators financing the spilling of the blood of our brothers will be meted with massive protest.’

Further reacting to the development, in its statement, therefore, the NYCN  noted that ‘the weighty allegation if not properly treated, via deliberate government action is capable of further polarising Nigeria, which is faced with different cessation agitations.’

It subsequently announced a 14-day ultimatum to Buhari and his government, warning that if the ultimatum is not met, the group will lead its members to ‘occupy the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.’

“By this, the Council is serving the government a 14-day pre-protest notice. Failure to unveil the identity of the sponsors of the killers of our brothers and sisters, we shall have no other alternative but to occupy the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory until our demands are met.”