Boko Haram: Sheriff under watch, IG says

[DT]

Three key Borno State politicians are under watch and investigation over allegedly sponsoring the Boko Haram sect, Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar said in Abuja yesterday. He said this while fielding questions from journalists at the opening of a conference for police sectional heads, zonal commanders and states criminal investigations departments. The politicians being investigated are former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, Senator Ahmed Zanna (PDP, Borno Central) and Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (PDP, Borno South), according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.

The Inspector-General pleaded with the public to cooperate with the police, saying they should come forward with information that could help the police to prosecute the three politicians.

"We cannot take anybody to court without ample evidence. Investigators need evidence to pursue their cases. So we need assistance. This is one of the many reasons for this conference today," he said.

Sheriff was governor of Borno State between 2003 and 2011. He traded blames with Zannah last week over who has links with Boko Haram, days after the arrest of a suspected sect member in a house authorities said belonged to Zannah.

For his part, Ndume is standing trial on alleged sponsorship of the sect following his implication by a former spokesman for the group Ali Konduga. He denied the charges.

Sheriff's associate killed

In Borno State, gunmen yesterday killed Alhaji Mustapha Flawama, a close political associate of Sheriff.

"Suspected Boko Haram terrorists shot at and killed Alhaji Mustafa Fulamawa a close political associate of the former Governor Borno state Alhaji Ali Modu Sherrif at Polo area of Maiduguri at about 8am today," a statement by Joint Task Force spokesman Sagir Musa said.

"They also made away with an undisclosed amount of money. The JTF troops arrived the scene and cordoned off the area. Search is ongoing to arrest the terrorists responsible."

Sources said outside Sheriff's immediate family, the late Flawama, 60, was the closest person to the former governor.

Flawama was said to be among the "kitchen cabinet" during the eight years tenure of Sheriff.

Residents said the gunmen trailed the deceased to his house at Polo area of Maiduguri metropolis.

"They came around 10.30am in a tricycle and met him within the premises of his house. They maneuvered their way and fired several gun shots into his head and chest," a resident said.

Before he moved to the Polo area some months ago, Flawama lived with his family at Gwange, the area that recently become the infamous epicenter of bombings and shootings.

In another incident, attackers numbering about ten on Tuesday besieged Chibok town, 130 kilometers south of Maiduguri, and threw explosives at the Divisional Police Headquarters in the area.

Witnesses said the gunmen went to the town around 6.25pm in two Golf Volkswagen salon cars.

"The vehicles had no identification number but the attackers were fully armed with guns and explosives.  It was getting dark at the time and as soon as the gunmen started chanting Allahu Akbar (God is Great), the officers and men at the police station disappeared," he said.

JTF yesterday confirmed the Chibok attack. "The attackers burnt a police station and killed one student of a Chibok school," JTF spokesman Musa said.

Musa added: "Similarly, a cordon and search operations was conducted at Budum, Gangimari, Kofa Biyu and Shehuri South on 29 October 2012. Items recovered include about 7 cartons of recorded cassettes containing preaching by the late sect leader Mohammed Yusuf and also some other exhibits and photographs that are currently being analyzed by the JTF operatives."

Daily Trust

[Nifemi Donald]

Please watch them very well.
They all have to be caught.
I pray so

[Shola Sholaz]

I believe we shall hear of BK no more very very soon