Even if Boko Haram is technically defeated and does not provide a real threat to the whole country anymore, it is not yet time for Nigerians to relax. Despite all the efforts of the Nigerian army, Boko Haram is still alive and can hit again. One of the reasons for this is the financial sponsorship being provided to this terrorist group.
Boko Haram
The threat of Boko Haram is not over yet. Even if Nigerians successfully find out all the Boko Haram sponsors, the country still has to stay ready to counter new attacks. The defeat of the group still remains technical. The Northern states governors are obligated to provide security measures and inform people about possible danger. They are especially expected to stay extremely alert and expect the worst on Christmas Eve.
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The Federal Government encourages proactive citizens to take measures to protect their communities from Boko Haram. There are also several vigilantes who risk their lives and provide information about the actions of the terrorist groups. Their sacrifices should not be forgotten.
Names of Boko Haram Sponsors
About five years ago, Naijagists.com published an article where they captioned “Boko Haram Sponsors revealed.” According to the words of Inspector General Abubakar Mohammed, there were three main highly positioned authorities being questioned. These people were accused of sponsoring the activities of the terrorist organization! The Inspector General of Police revealed three names:
- Ali Modu Sheriff
- Ahmed Zanna
- Ali Ndume
These allegations were topics of several hot debates and investigations into the sponsorship of Boko Haram has continued. Nevertheless, Ali Modu Sheriff, Ali Ndunme and Ahmed Zanna have been trying to protect their names since 2011. Their lawyers have done good jobs of protecting them from justice.
Ali Modu Sheriff
The most notable case is connected to Ali Ndume! The Vanguard provided information that the ex-senator has been trying to protect his honor since 2011. His lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, constructed a good protection for him. Despite all the efforts of the government prosecutors, it is still impossible to provide sufficient amount of evidence which connects Ndume to the terrorists.
Ahmed Zanna
Nonetheless, Ali Ndume confessed that he had contacts with the representatives of Boko Haram. He made contacts when he was in the position of a member of the Presidential Committee! How did he protect himself from this? His main line of defence was that these actions were made to look into the security challenges of the North East.
Ndume also informed the court that the then vice president, Namadi Sambo, and the Director of DSS knew about his meetings with the terrorists. Nevertheless, the Justice court failed to find a witness to the process. Therefore, it remained a big problem to get evidence on whether Ndume is lying or not!
Even though the entire process failed in court, it however proved that anybody accused of Boko Haram sponsorship can be brought to court; this is a small victory for Nigerian justice!
The threat of Boko Haram sponsors named
Two years ago, NAIJ.com published a story about Mohammed Sani who was the leader of a vigilance force in Monguno. According to his words, Boko Haram had aircrafts in their possession and he had witnessed these aircrafts dropping boxes and sacks near Kwalaram and Chinkungudu villages. This is clear evidence that Boko Haram insurgents have money in their pockets.
Sani also revealed that he saw the faces of Boko Haram soldiers from these aircrafts. According to his words, they looked like Chadian Arabs. Therefore, it can only mean that Boko Haram sponsors are connected with international terrorists.
Even though the Nigerian military forces are sometimes skeptical about evidences provided by local vigilantes, they tend to listen to international experts. One of these experts is Dr Stephen Davis, a political scientist who worked as a negotiator.
According to Dr Stephen Davis’ words, the terrorist group Boko Haram may have connections or want to establish connections with the Islamic states of Iraq and Syria, and Al Shabaab. These two terrorist organizations are the most notable in the world. It is also possible that Somalian and Syrian terrorist groups provide financial help to Boko Haram.
Nonetheless, Dr Stephen Davis revealed that the main sponsors of the terrorist organization come from within the country; these sponsors could also be politicians who left the country and continue to sponsor the opposing powers in Nigeria.
Ibrahim Magu
Ibrahim Magu, who is the acting Chairman of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission may also confirm the words of Dr Stephen Davis. According to Mage, the main sponsors of Boko Haram are the looters of Nigeria; they may also be connected with international terrorist groups.
Conclusion
Are these alleged Boko Haram sponsors really guilty? Frankly, it is not entirely true. Even if the names of the potential sponsors have been published in the press, it does not mean that they cannot protect their honor in court. That is why it is almost impossible to confirm whether a person is a sponsor of Boko Haram or not. Nevertheless, Nigerians should not stop trying to bring the sponsors of violence to justice. The Federal Government should act quickly to stop the sponsors of Boko Haram!
What can Nigerians do against Boko Haram? The answer is simple! Be vigilant! Collaborate with the federal government forces and help them bring the terrorists to justice.
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Source: Naija.ng