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Boko Haram has local political patronage, sponsorship – SSS
AFP Mon Nov 21,2011
Ms Ogar
ABUJA (AFP) – The Nigerian State Security Service, Monday,
declared that the extremist Boko Haram sect, blamed for scores
of attacks including the August suicide bombing of UN
headquarters, has links to local politicians.The SSS said they
had exposed the connections after the arrest and questioning of
an alleged spokesman for the Islamist group.
“His arrest further confirms the SSS position that some of the
Boko Haram extremists have political patronage and sponsorship,”
secret police spokeswoman Marilyn Ogar said.
The statement said that the suspect named as Ali Sanda Umar
Konduga confessed he “was recruited by a political party
stalwart in Maiduguri,” the northeastern city where most of the
attacks blamed on Boko Haram have taken place.
Police did not identify the political party involved.
It alleged that Konduga was the Boko Haram spokesman quoted in
the media under the alias Usman al-Zawahiri.
He was arrested on November 3. Police did not say why it was
only being announced now.
There has long been speculation over political links to at least
certain factions of Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility
for dozens of attacks, including an August suicide bombing of UN
headquarters in Abuja which killed at least 24 people.
Ogar’s statement alleged Konduga was “a former political thug,”
referring to the practice of Nigerian politicians of recruiting
or forming local gangs to help rig elections or use as muscle.
The statement said one benefactor promised to pay him 10 million
naira ($60,000, 45,000 euros) to work for his party, but then
died on his way to deliver half the sum to Konduga.
Konduga claimed a member of Nigeria’s National Assembly then
took over the running of his activities.
The statement also alleged Konduga was behind threatening text
messages sent to election tribunal judges and other threats made
to politicians including former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
It claimed that Konduga told security agents that threat
messages sent to the chairman of an election petition tribunal
in Borno state, where Maiduguri is located, “were scripted and
relayed to him by the National Assembly member.”
Boko Haram launched an uprising in 2009 put down by a brutal
military assault that left hundreds dead and which left its
mosque and headquarters in Maiduguri in ruins.
It appeared to go dormant for about a year before re-emerging
with a series of hit-and-run shootings. Bomb blasts have become
frequent and increasingly sophisticated in recent months.
There has been intense speculation over whether the group has
formed links with outside extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda’s
north African branch.
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
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