My job is to take young girls use for suicide bombings to target locations

Juliana Francis

On April 14, 2014, about 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State.

It would later be discovered that members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect were behind the abduction. Atleast, 57 of the schoolgirls escaped. According to security experts, some of the girls were married off to Boko Haram Commanders, while others were used as suicide bombers vehicles.

Several attempts to rescue all the girls by the Nigerian Forces had repeatedly failed, with the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau displaying the girls on videos and gloating about converting them to Islam and marrying them off.

Riding on the success of the Chibok girls’ abduction, the sect, again, on February 19, 2018, abducted 110 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, located in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government area of Yobe State.

On March 21, the Islamic group returned 106 of the kidnapped children. But a lone Christian girl, Leah Sharibu, wasn't released. It was gathered that the group promised to release her if only she would convert to Islam.

While all these dramas were playing out, security agents had never been able to arrest any member of the sect, connected to the abduction of the Chibok and Dapchi girls.

Exactly four years after the abduction of the Chibok girls, just when Nigerians had given up on finding the key players in the abduction of the girls, the Nigerian Police Force broke the jinxed and arrested 22 key actors.

Our correspondent gathered that the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr Abba Kyari.

The suspects, mostly Boko Haram commanders were below 30 years. The Borno State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Damian Chukwu, disclosed that the arrests were made when operatives were deployed to coordinate operations against rising spates of suicide bomb attacks on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and other towns.

Other special forces, who joined in the tactical and strategic operations across some troubled North East states, included: the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) personnel, Police Bomb Squad (EOD), Police Air Wing, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Conventional Police personnel, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), and Police Terrorism Investigation Centre.

Chukwu said: “Operations to apprehend and take out suspected terrorist elements troubling the North East, received impetus sometime in March, when the IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, visited Maiduguri on a five-day operational tour.

While Majinta Modu (23), Adam Mohammed (21), Mamman Wardi (25), Alhaji Modu Jida, Ajiri Bulama Dungus (22), Mohammed Abba (20), as well as Fannami Mustapha were said to have confessed to taking parts in the 2014 abduction that rocked Chibok community and several attacks on towns, Adam Mustapha (20 years) was said to be the overall coordinator and kingpin of suicide bombings in Borno and Adamawa states, who conveyed female and male suicide bombers from Sambisa Forest to different locations in Borno and Adamawa States where  they detonated their explosive materials.

Confessions of 20-year-old Boko Haram member

Mustapha, a native of Maiduguri, said that he joined the sect in 2009 when Mohammed Yusuf, its founder was alive.

He explained that during that period, he didn’t take part in the fight because he was too young. He said that he was about 11-year-old back.

Mustapha said that he got further attracted and fascinated by the group in 2014, when he realized people were making money from the group’s activities.

He disclosed: “My job as a member of Boko Haram Since 2014 was to take young girls, who are to be used for suicide bombings to target locations. I’m usually paid N200, 000 for each operation.”

According to Mustapha, he only attended Islamic school and even at that, didn’t complete his education. Today, he is a taxi driver and had been operating that business since four years now.

He said: “I joined the Boko Haram Sect in 2009 when Mohammed Yusuf was still alive. I used to pray with the sect in their mosque, but I didn’t join in the fight from the beginning. I went underground; I rejoined the group four years ago, when one Ibrahim, a member of the group approached me with the idea of buying stolen cows and other livestock’s from the group, which I would sell in Maiduguri.

“I made so much money from the business. Ibrahim was later killed by soldiers during a shootout. I bought a vehicle with the money I made and the group then gave me a new assignment which was for me to always transport suicide bombers, who were mainly young girls from the Sambisa Forest, with their suicide vest to their target locations.

“The person who normally transported the girls from Sambia Forest to Muma Garage in Maiduguri, where I will pick them up, was Abu, but he had been arrested. Sometimes I get instruction from the Sambisa Forest on where the suicide bombers would attack, and where there is none, I would take them to any area where I felt the casualty figure would be very high.

“My target locations were usually densely populated areas and before I receive the girls from Abu, I normally drive round the town to find areas that were populated. I took the girls to several places, including Post Office area of Maiduguri, where they carried out attacks. I also took them twice to Baga Road, Monday Market, 33 Army Barracks. In fact, so many people died during these attacks.

“I was usually paid N200, 000 after each successful mission. My last mission was on May 10, 2018. We carried out the attack at 33, Army Barracks in Maiduguri. In one of my operations, on Baga Road, one of my younger brothers was killed during the suicide bomb attacks. I felt very bad about the incident. I wanted to quit but couldn’t because the money was tempting. But I now regret everything I had done. I don’t know how the police learnt about me; I was in my house when they stormed in and arrested me.” 

‘Boko Haram fighters are paid N30, 000 for every attack’

Another suspect, Mayinta Modu aka Abu (23yrs) - from Bama Local Government Area, described himself as Boko Haram commander from Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

He claimed to be a farmer, who had no education and actively participated in the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping.

He disclosed that he was equally the person that used to move young girls used for suicide bombings, from Sambisa Forest into Maiduguri Town.

He further confessed that he had been fighting for the sect as a commander since 2011 and had assisted the sect in taking over several towns, villages. He had equally participated in ambush attacks across the Northeastern states of Nigeria and some parts of Niger, Chad and Cameron.

He said: “The leadership of the Boko Haram sect usually pays each fighter N30, 000 after each attack.”

Recounting how the sect members abducted the girls in April 2014, Modu said: “One of the commanders, who receives directs orders from our leader, Abubakar Shekau, Bana Chungori, called out over 100 of us. We all assembled at the Sambisa Forest; he said that Shekau had ordered that we should all go to Chibok Local Government and kidnap some schoolgirls at a school. We couldn’t ask questions; it was a direct order from Shekau. We all mounted our trucks. We had five big military trucks, three Toyota Hilux van and two Isuzu pickup trucks.

“We left the Sambisa Forest around 5: pm that fateful day and arrived at the school around 10: pm. We surrounded the school when we arrived. When were certain that there would be no resistance, Chungori gave orders that we should all go in; we found the girls running around in fear. We kidnapped many of them and moved them into our trucks. When we got to the entrance of the Sambisa Forest, Chungori ordered his foot soldiers and lower commanders, including me, to leave the trucks because he wanted to take the girls to Shekau, whose camp was deep inside the forest. I didn’t see the girls again because I didn’t go close to Shekau. I was paid N30, 000 on the day of the abduction. I was given N60, 000 after a set of ransom was paid for the release of the girls.” 

Modu further stated: “Sometimes in December 2014, two of our top commanders, Bakura and Ibrahim, ordered me to take two girls with suicide vest to Maiduguri town and supervise them until they detonated their bombs. But each time I got to Maiduguri, I didn’t even get into the Metropolis with them, and then I would leave at the outskirt of the town. And before you know it, they detonated their bombs. The first one they did it was at Muna Garage and second was at Dalori which was also outskirt of Maiduguri town.

“A member of the group, Adam, who had a taxi in Maiduguri, then called our commander and told him that the suicide bombers I had been bringing, had been unable to enter into the town where they were large crowds and since he was a taxi driver, he could always help us locate densely populated areas where people could be killed in larger numbers, if only my commanders would pay him. They agreed on N200, 000 per mission. Thus each time I took the girls from Sambisa Forest, I would take them to Adam, who would then take the girls into Maiduguri metropolis and after each successful attack, I was the person who used to take his money to him. My commanders use to pay me between N60, 000 to N70, 000 after each operation. I wasn’t doing this because of my Islamic faith; I was just doing this because of the money.”

‘I supplied food items for Boko Haram members, though they killed my uncle’ 

Ibrahim Mala, who introduced himself as Boko Haram’s logistic supplier, a native of Goza Local Government Area of Borno State, said as the security man at fillings station, he used to earn N5000 monthly.

His words: “I’m member of Boko Haram and one of the group’s logistic suppliers. I met the group through Arramma, who brought Abu to me. They asked me to buy some stolen rams and goats from them. I bought the livestock for N22000 and then they told me that they were members of the Boko Haram sect. They told me that they wanted me to be their supplier. Sometimes they brought money to me from the Sambia Forest to help them buy food items and other things they would need. After I buy the items, I would keep them in my house and call them on the phone to come and pick them. They would come at night to carry the items. They usually pay me N100, 000 on each trip.

“But in the month of March, they brought some diamonds for me to sell for them. They also linked me to Alhaji Talba Gonie, who resides at Zageri Ward, on Baga Road. They told me that Talba knows how to sell the diamonds. After selling the diamonds, Talba would hand over the money to me. The Boko Haram members would then give me instructions on what they needed me to buy for them with some of the money. When I get the items, they would come to my house to collect.

“I sold diamond for them on five occasions and they rewarded me handsomely. I don’t know where they got the diamonds from. I bought a land with the money I made from my dealings with the group. I regret my actions because I was once a Boko Haram victim. They killed my uncle and his son, when they attacked my village in 2014. But the money they offered to pay me if I became their supplier was so tempting. Even my wife wasn’t happy that I joined the group, but there was nothing she could do about it.”

‘I worked for Boko Haram because I didn’t earn money as JTF member’

Mohammed Bashir, 34, is a member of the civilian Joint Task Force, which was created to work against the Boko Haram sect.

Rather than work to witness the defeat of the sect, Bashiri, worked for the sect to succeed.

He confessed to have worked for the sect because he was not earning money as a member of the JTF.

He stated: “But Boko Haram sect was ready to pay me for information and easy movement within the metropolises.”

Bashir further recalled: “I was part of the group that formed civilian JTF in 2012.  I also joined the military in fighting against the sect. But the government was not paying me then, I was forced to join the Boko Haram. It was one Adam who lured me into the group. I became an informant. I used my position as a civilian JTF to pass on information to him. Whenever he wanted to take supplies to Boko Haram in the Sambisa Forest, he would need me to give him information about movement of military men. He used to pay me N10, 000 on any information I gave to him. He promised that the group would soon reward me handsomely.” 

Reminiscing on the feats, Chukwu said: “The IGP reinvigorated the operational strategies of the Force with IRT to squarely confront and arrest Boko Haram Commanders and fighters, who are behind the series of suicide bombings, mass killings of innocent people and abductions/kidnap of hundreds of school girls, boys and adults in the affected States of the Northeast. IRT operatives in swift coordinated operations with personnel of the Command and other Police detachments at different locations in the state, from 04/07/2018 till date, arrested 22 Boko Haram sub-commanders and fighters after fierce gun battles.  In the gun battles, some of the BH camps were destroyed. Several Improvised Explosives were detonated by the Police EOD. Caches of firearms/ammunition and properties of victims were recovered.”