Australian negotiator, Davis, who has been
a middleman between the leadership of the
Boko Haram sect and FG, has pleaded with
the group to see the death of their leader as
an avenue to put an end to their operations
in Nigeria.
In the interview, he made it known that
none of the people mentioned as Boko
Haram sponsors were in anyway
corroborated by any political party and that
no political party has also been pointed at
by Boko Haram to be a fueling source for
the group.
Below are excerpts from the Punch
interview:
A senior member of the European
Parliament, Franz Obermayr, alleged that
the opposition party in Nigeria could be
sponsoring Boko Haram by channeling
European Parliament financial aid to Boko
Haram in the North East of Nigeria. Do you
have any such evidence?
I have never heard any political party
mentioned by any Boko Haram leader as
funding or being associated with Boko
Haram.
The Boko Haram commanders have only
mentioned individuals like former Governor
Sheriff. I heard Sheriff was APC and now
PDP but that is irrelevant to me.
I have never mentioned political parties in
my discussions with Boko Haram. The
names of individual sponsors were given by
Boko Haram leaders, not their political
party association.
What sort of sponsorship has been
mentioned by Boko Haram that they have
received?
Former governor Sheriff was specifically
mentioned many times. Specifically for
example, Sheriff was mentioned as
sponsoring trips of the boys to the Lesser
Hajj. There, the boys are “reorientated”.
In effect they are recruited to Boko Haram.
When they return to Nigeria the recruits
are then taken off for further reorientation
by which they mean teaching and for
training. Some of the training took place in
Mali by Tuareg leaders but now more
training is conducted locally.
Could mere funding for Lesser Hajj by the
assumed sponsors have manifested in the
high level of sophistication that the sect has
assumed today?
Funds are provided to purchase weapons.
This is sometimes transferred through the
Central Bank of Nigeria to a person in Cairo
who provides the weapons and also provides
military uniforms.
At other times vehicles are purchased in
Benin for example and driven into Nigeria
where they are sold for cash. They do not
mind taking a loss on the sale price as by
this method they can obtain cash in Nigeria
without a direct link to the sponsor.
This person in Cairo, is he an Egyptian?
Why are you not able to disclose his
identity to the security agents for necessary
action?
No, he is Nigerian. He is a Kanuri who has
fought with Boko Haram and now associates
with a network of jihadists. I have given all
his details to the DG-SSS.
What sort of vehicles do they purchase?
VW Golf was mentioned as a favourite. They
can sell these very easily in Nigeria. They
do keep some to use for suicide bombing.
Some time ago they told me one sponsor
pledged six Hilux vehicles for the suicide
bombers.
You have heard that a “fake” Shekau was
killed last week in Kondunga. Do you
believe what the military is claiming that
the man killed was Shekau or possibly a
“fake” Shekau?
I continue to believe that Shekau was killed
on or about June 19, 2013 when we were
deeply engaged in peace discussions. I have
had so many senior commanders tell me
that Shekau is dead. It was several weeks
after that a Shekau video appeared on
YouTube. When I viewed that video with
JAS leaders they immediately said, “That
boy.
We have used him before.” They were
totally dismissive of any claim that Shekau
was still alive. They referred to the person
in the video as the “fake Shekau”. Some
months later one of the senior commanders
told me the name of the fake Shekau was
Abdul Mutallif. The commander who named
him was the one who wrote the script that
the fake Shekau reads from in the videos.
But I have heard they have used more than
one fake Shekau. In July this year I was told
the fake Shekau is Isa Damasaka. Earlier in
June they referred to him as Bashir.
We had been in communication with him
over the release of the Chibok girls. Isa
Damasaka is one of the names the military
has released when identifying the man
killed at Kondunga last week. He has also
been identified as Bashir Mohammed so I
am confident this man is indeed the fake
Shekau.
However, I do not know if Abdul Mutallif is
another name he used or there is another
fake Shekau named Abdul Mutallif who
may still be alive. I have no doubt we will
know soon so we await a new video by
another fake Shekau.
The man who was captured at Kondunga
last week was a great source of information
about Boko Haram sponsors. He was
captured alive. The military are too quick to
execute captured Boko Haram leaders. This
man could have revealed so much about
Boko Haram and its sponsors that may have
brought a quick end to the terrorism.
There are some reports that many Boko
Haram fighters have surrendered in recent
days. You want to say something on this?
This is an indication that Boko Haram
commanders now understand that they
have been fooled. They have followed a
“fake” Shekau. Boko Haram fighters have
died following a fake Shekau and fake
teaching.
The political sponsors have led these boys to
believe that they are purifying Islam,
purging the country of corruption by
slaughtering people. In fact the political
sponsors of Boko Haram are corrupt
politicians seeking power and more wealth.
The sponsors epitomise all that the Boko
Haram fighters are seeking to eliminate
from Nigeria.
So what is next for Boko Haram?
The death of the fake Shekau shows how the
fighters have been duped and totally misled
by the sponsors.
The fighters and commanders would be wise
to take this opportunity to reach out to the
government for a peace dialogue.
If they do not believe they can have a peace
dialogue without being captured and
executed the alternative message I have for
the commanders is this: Your sponsors will
use you and sacrifice you so they can gain
power. Set the captive girls free and walk
away from Boko Haram while you still have
the opportunity.

Interesting! God help us.

The oyibo eediot is trying so hard to confuse us about BH.

Shekau or not, NA shall continue the pressure unless the boys surrender.