Boko Haram commander was arrested in Sheriff’s house, not mine – Senator

The representative of Borno Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Ahmad Zanna, has refuted the allegation by the Joint Task Force in Borno State that a commander of dreaded sect, Boko Haram, Shuaibu Bama, was arrested in his house.
Rather, Zanna said Bama was arrested in the house of a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
Zanna said the JTF must have attempted implicating him because of his stance that the joint security outfit was not operating within its rules of engagement.
Zanna, who spoke with newsmen on Sunday, said: “About 40 members of the JTF came to my house in four armoured vehicles on the day in question.
“They ransacked my house and they did not see anything incriminating.
“Then they brought out all the boys they met in my house, who included my children, aides and neighbours.
“They beat them and put them under the sun and asked them if they knew Shuaibu Bama and one of them said yes.
“They asked the boy to lead them to where he (Bama) was and that boy took them to where Shuaibu Bama was and they arrested him.
“He was not arrested in my house.
“He was arrested in a house, which belongs to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
“The question is why did the JTF say that Shuaibu Bama was arrested in the house of a serving senator?
“I am the only serving senator who has a house on the Dabuwa Road.
“Bama was not arrested in my house.
“He was arrested at the house located at Rabi Street, off Dambuwa Road.
“My case is a very clear case of framing.
“But it has failed.”
Zanna admitted Bama is his nephew but that he sent him away from his house when he discovered that he was into drugs and was maltreating his children.
Zanna said this was over one year.
He said: “Shuaibu Bama is my sister’s son.
“He once stayed with me but I sent him away about a year ago when I discovered that he was a drug addict and was beating my children.
“He even threatened me and also threatened to kill his mother.
“I did not know him to be a member of Boko Haram.”
Zanna said he had not been questioned by anyone before now on the suspicion of his having any link with Boko Haram, adding: “It was only this morning (Sunday) that I received a text saying that the Director-General of SSS wants to see me.”