Fake Boko Haram negotiators lied against Ihejirika, Sheriff, says DSS

The DepartmentofState Service (DSS) yesterdayparaded six fake Boko Haram commandersand a former special adviser to Borno StateGovernor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, for negotiating with the Federal Government and holding talks with a selfstyledAustralian negotiator, Dr. StevenDavis.
The faketerrorist chiefs, including Alhaji Junaid Idrissa Khadi, were accused of holding several meetingswith the Presidential Committeeon Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North East, headedby the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki. Anotherpresidential committeeled by Ambassador Hassan Tukur had also enteredinto negotiations with the fakesectcommanders.
The suspectswere also said to be theone the Federal Governmentnegotiated with in the botchedceasefiredeal allegedly brokered by Chadian President Idriss Derby.However, Shettimahas disowned Khadi, whom the DSS identified as his aide, saying heinherited him fromhis predecessor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, beforehe sacked him four months ago.
Other fake commandersparaded were: Abubakar Yusuf, Saleh Ibrahim, Abdullahi Saleh, Nurudeen Ibrahim, Mubarak Adamu and MustaphaMaidugu. Parading the suspectsin Abuja, DSS DeputyDirectorof Public Relations, Mrs. Marilyn Ogar, said the suspectsfalsely indicted Sheriff and former Chief of Army Staff(COAS), Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, of sponsoring terrorism in theNorth- East. David had on August 29 alleged that Sheriff and Ihejirika were among the sponsors ofBoko Haram. He had predicated his “findings” on “discussions with several field commandersof the sect, who allegedly expressedwillingness to negotiate with the Federal Government.”
Ogar said the alleged indictment of Sheriff and Ihejirika was an orchestrateddesignby Davis and his cohorts, who she claimed, “are among several otherlocal and international groups who are out to make merchandise ofthe Boko Haram insurgency through concoctedand fabricatedstories.” According to her, Aisha Wakil, who had claimed close ties with the sectleadersintroduced some of the suspectsto Shettimabetween 2011 and 2012 “as representativeswho would negotiate a peaceful end tothe crisis.” Besides, thefake commanderswere presentedas the hooded sectmemberswho appeared in videos presentedby Davis, for which he claimed to have held talks with leadersof Boko Haram.
They were also identified as those whose voiceswere heard on the Voice of America (VOA) and who “spokeextensively on the bogusBoko Haram ceasefirewith the Federal Government.”As a reward for theirinfamous outings, theygot cash ranging fromN150, 000 toN4 million. Davis was also said to have facilitated Maidugu’s getting an ad hoc job with UNICEF, which borderedon providing psychological support to victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.”
According to the secretservice, Shettima’s aide, who has known Davis since2006, introducedWakil to the former as a “credible link totop membersofthe Boko Haram.” He was said tohave made thefollowing confessions: “Thathe and one General Ashafa went with Davison a journey to a remotepart ofMarte Local GovernmentArea, Borno State, on a false mission to rescuethe abducted Chibok schoolgirls. “That he(governor’s aide) deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Ali Modu Sheriff and one Mala Othman, former stateChairman of theAll ProgressivesCongress (APC) as sponsors of theBoko Haram sect.“That Davissingle handedly conjured the indictment on Ihejirika based on allegations that themilitary under theformer COAS was responsible for the several failed attemptsby Davisto make contactwith the presidency.”
However, the DSS also said the suspectdenied “ever discussing with Davisthat Ihejirika was a Boko Haram sponsor. He stressedthat atno time during theirinteractions were such allegations madeagainst Ihejirika and wondered why this should arise. “That he organised several meetingsbetween the purportedBoko 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 ofDavis in a group photograph with some fake commandersof the sect.”
On theirparticipation during the presidential committees’separate visitsto Maiduguri, Ibrahim said: “That in 2013, he participated in a governmentsponsoreddialogue with the Boko Haram sectand he was presentedtothe Ambassador Hassan Tukur and the Tanimu Turaki- led committeesas a top member ofthe sect’sShura Council, a claim which was false. “Thathe and a few otherpersons granted an interview to the VOA and spoke extensively on thebogus Boko Haram ceasefirewith the Federal Government.“That Khadi paid him N300, 000 for his role in the mischievous media campaign.”
Saleh, another impostor, was said to have confessedthat in August 2013, Yusuf introducedhim to Davis, Wakil, Khadi and the Turaki-led Presidential Committeeon Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North-East. He confessedto have made N150,000 fromfake dealings with Davisand theTuraki and Tukurcommittees.
Also, Hassan said he participated in various meetingswith the Turaki committee, the VOA interview, featured in the You- Tube video and was one of the hooded gang membersin the group photograph with Davis. In view of the startling discoveries, the DSS notedthat: “It is necessaryto statehere that Davisand his cohortsare among several otherlocal and international groups who are out tomake merchandiseof the Boko Haram insurgency throughconcoctedand fabricatedstories. “Thesesubversive campaigns are also aimed atpermeating and shaping political discourse as well as challenge the integrity of our national securityand stir discontentamongst Nigerians and our esteemedallies in the war against terror.”
However, responding toNew Telegraph request toclarify the statusof Khadi in his governor, Shettimain a textmessageyesterdaysaid: “Junaid Idrissa Khadi was appointed by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in 2010 as a special adviser and was retained at the formation of myteam in 2011at thebehest ofAli Sheriff. I dropped him along with other aides about four monthsago. “The national director of the DSS is doing Ali Sheriff’s bidding. Steve Davis actually worked for the Federal Governmentof Nigeria in the past. They are just denying him now for telling them probably some unpleasant truths.”