The Department of States Service on Tuesday in Abuja paraded seven fake Boko Haram Commanders.
The seven fake Boko Haram commanders, according to the DSS, were among those being used by an Australian and self-styled negotiator with the Boko Haram insurgents, Dr. Steven Davis, to allegedly spread falsehood and make money through the Federal Government’s effort to dialogue with the real terrorists.
Those arrested and paraded were Junaid Idrissa Khadi, Abubakar Yusuf, Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim, Abdullahi Saleh, Nurudeen Ibrahim, Mubarak Adamu and Mustpha Maidugu.
While parading the suspects, the DSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said Davis, after alleging that former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika, were among chief sponsors of Boko Harama, then sought to negotiate with the sect on behalf of the Federal Government.
According to Ogar: “Davis premised his findings on discussion with several field commanders of the sect who allegedly expressed willingness of the sect to negotiate with the Federal Government if Davis would spearhead such dialogue.
“To buttress this, he posted a photograph with some alleged sect members.”
One of the paraded suspects, Khadi, who was an aide to Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, confessed to have known Davis since 2006 and that he introduced one Barrister Aisha Wakil to Davis as a credible link to top members of the Boko Haram sect.
He added that he and one General Ashafa went with Davis on a journey to a remote part of Marte Local Government Area of Borno State on a false mission to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
Khadi, who is 45 years old, added that he deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Sherif and Mala Othman, a former state Chairman of All Progressives Congress, as sponsors of Boko Haram sect by mounting pressure on the fake Boko Haram commanders to affirm that Sheriff was indeed a sponsor.
Ogar added that Davis and his cohorts were among several other local and international individuals and groups “who are out to make merchandise of Boko Haram insurgency through concocted and fabricated stories.
“These subversive campaigns are also aimed at permeating and shaping political discourse as well as challenge the integrity of our national security and stir discontent amongst Nigerians and our esteemed allies in the war against terror,” she said.