DSS Arrests Fake Boko Haram Negotiators

Four men were paraded yesterday by the Department of State Service DSS for disguising themselves as Boko Haram negotiators in the failed ceasefire deal with the sect.
While briefing journalists during the parade yesterday, DSS spokesman, Marilyn Ogar, disclosed that the fake Boko Haram members connived with the Australian self-styled hostage negotiator, Steven Davis, who spuriously fingered the former chief of army staff, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, and former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff as financiers of the insurgent group.Ogar revealed that the former Borno State governor was not yet off the hook and that Davis had not been indicted by the Service.


She, however, said the suspects were part of the orchestrated plan to spread falsehood, and undermine efforts of government to end terrorism.

Among the suspects was a special adviser to the incumbent Borno State governor Alhaji Kashim Shettima, Mr Junaid Idrissa Khadi, 45, who allegedly linked the other fake negotiators to Davis. Others are Abubakar Yussuf, Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim, Abdullahi Saleh, Nurudeen Ibrahim, Mubarak Adamu and Mustapha Maidugu.

Ogar said: “Recall that on August 29, 2014, one Steven Davis, an Australian self-styled negotiator for the Boko Haram sect, had alleged that Sen Ali-Modu Sheriff and former chief of army staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika 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 of the alleged sect members.

“Based on the allegation, this Service initiated an in-depth investigation into the matter. Consequently, seven associates of Dvis 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,” Ogar said.

The DSS spokesman averred that Davis and the paraded suspects were part of local and international groups out to make merchandise of the Boko Haram insurgency through concocted and fabricated stories and said their campaigns were subversive and aimed at permeating and shaping political discourse as well as challenging the integrity of the nation’s security system.