Detained Boko Haram spokesman Abu Qaqa has given State Security Service (SSS) operatives “reasonable clues” on the sect’s operations, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Qaqa reportedly spoke of how some members of the sect who were tired of fighting were “slaughtered” in the presence of members of their families. Seven were killed recently, he reportedly told detectives. The killings were said to have been ordered by the sect’s leader, Iman Shekau.

Qaqa is said to have confirmed that among members of the sect are Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Chadians and Nigeriens.

Besides, detectives discovered that the spokesman was using four pseudonyms to avoid being arrested.

But the SSS has established that Qaqa is an Ebira from Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State – the scene of last week’s devastating attack on a bank, which was bombed by yet unknown men.

While the SSS is grappling with the interrogation of the Boko Haram spokesman, there are indications that the FBI and other foreign experts brought in to probe the June 16, 2011 bombing of the Police Headquarters in Abuja may have been stuck.

A source close to the SSS probe of Boko Haram activities said: “The arrest of Qaqa has led to the unraveling of many leads on the operations of the sect. The suspect, who has cooperated with us so far, has confirmed our initial clue that foreign elements from Chad and Niger Republic are key members of the sect.

“That is why it has been difficult to check the Boko Haram insurgency. They have operation bases in Nigeria, Chad, and Niger. So, each time they attacked any institution, they retreat to these bases.”

Detectives are sure that Qaqa is “critical” to the sect’s operation. “Yet, he only read Social Work and Administration,” said the source, who pleaded not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter.

The source also quoted Qaqa as saying that before his arrest, Boko Haram was getting wearied.

Besides, it was learnt; he hinted of a division within the sect, following continuous arrests of non-Kanuri members (Hausa, Fulani, Chadians and Nigeriens) of Boko Haram.

The source quoted Qaqa as saying:  “Before I was arrested, some of us were already showing signs of tiredness. Most of us were tired of fighting, but we couldn’t come out to say so because of fear of reprisal from leader Imam Shekau on dissenting members.

“Several of our members who denounced the violent struggle were slaughtered in front of their wives and children. Seven were killed recently.

 “Besides some of us, the non-Kanuri (Hausa, Fulani and others) in the sect were worried at the trend of arrests of our members. It is either that the security agents were so good at their job or some of our members were moles giving us out.

“The worrying aspect was that most of our key members arrested were non-Kanuri, which raised fears that there’s sectional betrayal of members.”

Responding to a question, the source added that the SSS has succeeded in verifying the identity of the Boko Haram spokesman.

He said: “He is an Ebira man. He was involved in Boko Haram assaults on Bauchi State and was arrested. But he was set free by members of the sect.

“No wonder there has been unease in the sect since Qaqa was arrested, considering the huge volume of information at his disposal.

“Abu Qaqa, 42, has variously used the names: Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya, and Abdulrahman Abdullahi.

“When he was set free after the Bauchi jail break by some of their members, he adopted Abu Dardaa and ended up with Abu Qaqa, until his arrest.

“He holds an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Social Work and Administration from Ramat Polytechnic in Maiduguri , Borno State .

“He is from Ebiya South Village in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.”

The source said investigation was shifting to the uncovering of the sponsors of Boko Haram and how the sect has been sourcing its arms.

Also yesterday, there were hints that the FBI and other foreign experts brought in to probe the June 16, 2011 bombing of the Police Headquarters in Abuja were stuck.

A police source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media, said the experts could only conduct forensic examination on the wreckage of the vehicles and shrapnel of the bombs.

“The former Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, brought in these foreign bomb experts without allowing local input from crack investigators in the police.

“I can tell you that these experts have been stuck because they do not know the terrain. They cannot speak our language and they do not understand our culture,” the source said, adding:

 “Worse still during the period, the Police Special Investigation Unit was more or less technically disbanded. Is it not disturbing that we have not been able to investigate bomb explosions at our doorsteps?

“If you look at how the SSS arrested Abu Qaqa, it was a Hausa speaking officer, who just returned from a training session in London that made the breakthrough. We hope the new IGP, Mr. Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, will revisit the probe into the explosions at the Force Headquarters.”