Dateline Abuja, November 25, 2010. When an Iranian merchant, Azim Aghajani, was docked before a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja on allegation that he attempted to smuggle 13 containers laden with rockets and other ammunition into the country, many Nigerians wondered what could have triggered such eerie transaction. They had to.

Specifically, Aghajani, whose case was subsequently transferred to Lagos where his uncanny merchandise was intercepted by security agencies on October 25, 2010, was arraigned alongside three Nigerians, Ali Usman Abbas Jega, Aliyu Oroji Wamako and Muhammad Tukur Umar, who were said to be his co-conspirators - mind you, the three had names that bore resemblance to Nigeria's men of power and means and that may have been for effect (Jega – INEC boss is Attahiru Jega; Wamako - Magatarkda Wamako is governor of Sokoto State; and Tukur - Bamangar Tukur has just been installed as national chairman of PDP)

Though it was whispered in some quarters that the goods were headed for Gambia and ought not to have berthed in Nigeria – if not for alleged over-zealousness on the part of security agencies patrolling our territorial waterways, the federal government which initiated the case against them, however, said the accused persons made attempts to conceal the content of the containers by lying that they were conveying building materials.

Meantime, two years after that incident occurred, the State Security Service, SSS, and related agencies, are still battling to unravel the hidden fingers behind the seeming terrorist attacks by suspected members of the Jammatul Sunnah Walid Jihad, a.k.a Boko Haram.

It would be recalled that even President Goodluck Jonathan had at a time, alleged that members of the dreaded terrorist sect has infiltrated his administration, an allegation that gave breath to an earlier boast by the group which said it has loyalists in all spheres of governance in the country.

Consequently, it was not surprising when the SSS, on November 21, arrested a lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Mohammed Ali Ndume, after a self-confessed spokesman of the sect, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, fingered him as one of their major financiers.

His ongoing trial before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court in Abuja has further provided more insight into the activities of the sect, though it has heightened tension within the corridors of powers following an affidavit that has subtly entangled the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, to the case.

In a 24-paragraph affidavit he has deposed before the trial court, Ndume admitted having telephone exchanges with members of the sect, saying the VP was aware that such convivial relationship existed between him and the Boko Haram sect.

The latest is the revelation which came from the SSS at a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Adamu Bello, of how an alleged link-man between the Boko Haram Islamic sect and Al-Qaeda terrorist network, Mallam Mohammed Ashafa, was apprehended by the Pakistani government through the National intelligence Agency, NIA, and handed over to the federal government for prosecution.

SSS made the disclosure on a day one of its retired investigative agents, Mr Bukar Tarha, testified as a witness of the federal government.

Tarha told the court that Ashafa who is a 46-year old man of about 5.4 in height, while under interrogation, confessed his complicity in both national and international acts of terrorism, saying he facilitated exchange programs between Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.

[size=18pt]The case got an added piquancy when the witness who said he retired from the SSS into private practice in 2008, revealed that the Resident Chief of Al-Qaeda network in West Africa, identified as Mallam Adnan Ibrahim, resides in Kano, a city that has witnessed unprecedented terrorist attacks in recent times.
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In the hierarchy of Al-Qaeda within the sub-Sahara, Ashafa is alleged to be the second in command to Mallam Ibrahim.

In his testimony on Tuesday, the retired SSS agent, Tarha, disclosed that when he was head of the anti-terrorism department of the agency, Ashafa was kept under his custody between 2005 and 2006.

He said there was a forwarding letter with a brief that Ashafa was intercepted at the Pakistani Airport in 2004 and subsequent search and investigation by the Pakistani authorities revealed that he was a member of Al-Qaeda and that he was sent to Pakistan by the Resident Chief of Al-Qaeda in West Africa, Mallam Ibrahim.

He said the accused person was intercepted on his way back to Nigeria with CDs containing coded messages for the West African Chief of Al-Qaeda, saying, "Four months after I took over the schedules of the head of the anti-terrorism department, other suspects were also intercepted and handed over to the Nigerian government by the Libyan government.

"Subsequent interrogation of the suspects revealed that it was Ashafa who took them for terrorism training in the Sahel Region", he added.

Tarha said he interrogated Adnan Ibrahim in 2006 when he was intercepted by the Libyan authorities and Ibrahim confirmed to him that he sent Ashafa to Pakistan and Ashafa with another Nigerian terrorist identified as Yusuf Ahamed made him transport Nigerians for terrorism training in the Sahel Region.

Ashafa is currently facing a five-count charge of receiving monetary payments from Talha and Na’deem (Al-Qaeda operatives) of the Tabliqh headquarters, Lahore, Pakistan, for recruiting and training terrorists.

The alleged terrorist had earlier accused the SSS of unduly maltreating him in custody, saying he was kept in a dark underground cell for seven days.

Justice Bello has adjourned further hearing on the case till May 9.


http://odili.net/news/source/2012/apr/8/335.html

Not surprising. The SSS is doing a very good job though.

It is most likely,judging from the persistent deadly attacks which is a hall mark of organized and ruthless killers like al-queda.Attacks they use to demoralize the people completely and turn them to complete zombies.

The whole game has gone out of the hands of miscreats like atiku that started it,it has attracted the attention of international jihadist brotherhood killers,respecters of no existing authority who have found nigeria a very safe haven for destruction and the propagation of their infinite delusion.

It is not going to go away just like that,especially with corrupt leadership adding fuel to the fire.Nigerians got to grow thick skins.

well, all the core north is al qaeda enclave!

I think this is something the Nigerian government should be looking at closely abeg o!The Libyan rebels in Niger and refugees pouring in from the Northern Mali conflict.The Tuareg fighters are distributed along Niger and could pose a treat to the Nigerian state if not anything.They supported Ghaddfi and are capturing Northern Mali.
We are talking about assisting Mali (through ECOWAS) repel the rebels from Northern Mali.Before we go further abeg FGN should start serious border surveillance of the North-eastern frontier.Also a strong force be kept on stand-by with a strong punch need be.From amoured divisions to aerial support aircraft.
The Tuareg are getting closer to our sphere and i don't want to wake up one morning and realize a section of the nation had being seized by renegade rebel faction.Not forgetting the Boko haram invasion of Kano and Yobe recently and the police were left in rubbles while the army stood by.This volatile areas must have a rapid force with enough punch to defeat a small country like Niger need be o!It should be made clear to Niger and chad to be alert else in any case Nigeria will disregard borders and invade them o!Lastly we should even populate this nations(Niger,chad,Benin,cameroon and Mali) with the intelligence committee(aka NIA).
FGN needs to finish off this Boko haram issue to dialogue or the alternative fast.Atleast relegate there strength o!.It is critical FGN look beyond BH and look at international insurgency with intent to capture sizable areas of sovereign nations.

With the porous security in nigeria,it wont take them much to go down south u know.Unless maybe they just want a northern islamic sharia state free from christianity.

If that is what they want,that fine with me.But them wanting to impose fundamental islam in the east will mean an endless fight.

haka_nai: I think this is something the Nigerian government should be looking at closely abeg o!The Libyan rebels in Niger and refugees pouring in from the Northern Mali conflict.The Tuareg fighters are distributed along Niger and could pose a treat to the Nigerian state if not anything.They supported Ghaddfi and are capturing Northern Mali.
We are talking about assisting Mali (through ECOWAS) repel the rebels from Northern Mali.Before we go further abeg FGN should start serious border surveillance of the North-eastern frontier.Also a strong force be kept on stand-by with a strong punch need be.From amoured divisions to aerial support aircraft.
The Tuareg are getting closer to our sphere and i don't want to wake up one morning and realize a section of the nation had being seized by renegade rebel faction.Not forgetting the Boko haram invasion of Kano and Yobe recently and the police were left in rubbles while the army stood by.This volatile areas must have a rapid force with enough punch to defeat a small country like Niger need be o!It should be made clear to Niger and chad to be alert else in any case Nigeria will disregard borders and invade them o!Lastly we should even populate this nations(Niger,chad,Benin,cameroon and Mali) with the intelligence committee(aka NIA).
FGN needs to finish off this Boko haram issue to dialogue or the alternative fast.Atleast relegate there strength o!.It is critical FGN look beyond BH and look at international insurgency with intent to capture sizable areas of sovereign nations.

Seriously I have always had that conviction that Boko haram is aided by the anti-Ghadaffi Libyans. They hate Nigerians with passion and will do anything to destabilize Nigeria. They are terrorists too. I already opened a thread about that sometime last year.

cogitoErgo: well, all the core north is al qaeda enclave!

Hmmm!!!

this is the result of failed state that they produced, the other day they did some macho-man rescue operation in Sokoto they failed, this is as the result of their failed state product. During the civil war we saw the evil that UK committed against the Biafrans. Very soon UK also will become a failed state! As for the US I don’t know which side they are? they whole thing is just confusing. I don’t blame Jonathan but Northern Leaders should be held accountable.

See what my beloved Nigeria has turned into. Bombs everyday. Now i dont trust any northerner i meet on d road, so sad. How did we get to this state my beloveth Nigeria?

I'm glad the city of Kano has fallen. More poverty and deaths to the North

North is really really in trouble o, bt wat i dnt seem to undastand is that "doesnt one has a freedom of religion?"

2015 is real!

Another free for all thread, keep on battaring. The north is in trouble the other parts are not. PDP are not in trouble.

valacious: See what my beloved Nigeria has turned into. Bombs everyday. Now i dont trust any northerner i meet on d road, so sad. How did we get to this state my beloveth Nigeria?

Do u really think Northerners are the sole cause of Nigeria's problems?u berra snap out of ur dream nd face reality.

The Nigeria central government is a failure ,the problem of terrorism is not only for the northern Nigeria it's a generally problem,we need our collectively hand on desk to work out a formal to stop it in our great nation. South or north Nigeria is bless ,by the special grace of God we will over come this problem

The drama in almost in its intermission stage! Very soon we shall know where every1 belongs.

himmmmmm am smelling
COUP.
Yeeehhh ma naija.
Watch

babaowo: The drama in almost in its intermission stage! Very soon we shall know where every1 belongs.

This is so funny,like hw soon are u talkin abt here?wen everybody is dead?

What is happening in the North is simply Nemesis. They have started killing themselves, just cant wait for them drones to starting flying in

North could eventually turn worse than somalia, and even those supporting/arguing in favour of boko or alqaida would also seek asylum in foreign land if care is not taken, the all eyes will see clear but the it could be too late.

read the latest news


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The northerners really has become a tunnel for this useless terrorist into nogeria..bt the only thing i know is that no matter hw they try to destabelize this country.....ALMIGTHY GOD'll always fight for nigerians and will couse them to destroy themselves and not nigerians The northerners really has become a tunnel for this useless terrorist into nogeria..bt the only thing i know is that no matter hw they try to destabelize this country.....ALMIGTHY GOD'll always fight for nigerians and will couse them to destroy themselves and not nigerians

Not surprising. Nigera has always birthed the very worst of everything evil.

I won't be surprised if SS Himmler, SS Goering, Idi Amin, Fidel Castro, Adolf Hitler, SS Schindler, and Osama bin Laden are found hiding in Nigeria.

Nigeria, shyt country shyt people.

nairalanders are u truly humane? your hate against the northerners (by most of u) is glaring clear, but the opportunies offered by the northerners to their counterparts is immesurable in all the northern states, be it economic, educational,job opportunies, bussiness opportunities,residencial permits etc (dont argure if u dont know ask those that knows, e.g Rochas) but am suprise at the extent of hate directed at the entire north. do you think the northerners are happy with BH. BE CAREFUL OF WHAT U WISH 4

Na wa O! Northern Nigeria is turning into the den of Terrorist.