Fresh Interview With Stephen Davis And More Details About BH
Australian negotiator Stephen Davis, who has recently provided a series of scandalous allegations regarding the Nigerian sponsors of Boko Haram, gives another interview on the issue narrating how Shekau hijacked the Islamist group and revealing he had not been actually hired by the Federal Government.
In a recent month Davis, allegedly hired by the Nigerian federal government to negotiate fro Chibok girls release. has made a number of breaking claims.
He insisted that Chief of the Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika and the former governor of Borno State Senator Ali Modu Sheriff were among the major sect sponsors, which information he was given by Boko Haram commanders themselves.
Moreover, the Australian disclosed the scheme according to which the insurgents were passing a substantial amount of their funds through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the help of its top official.
READ ALSO: Cameroon Arrested Sheriff, But… – Falana
This weekend Stephen Davis gave interview to Vanguard making clear some information about being "hired" by the Nigerian authorities and speaking about the sect leader Abubakar Shekau.
"The Boko Haram we see today is not the Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lih Da’awa wal Jihad (JAS) that was operational under Yusuf – former JAS leader killed by the police in 2009... Shekau formed Ansaru which he used for kidnapping and beheading victims. This behaviour was a major departure from the original mandate of the JAS which was to purify Islam and return it to the exemplary life of the Prophet. Many among the JAS leadership are no longer active and others have been killed."
According to Davis, it allowed the terrorist to take up more extreme action, including abduction, bombing and mass killing.
READ ALSO: TOP-7 Important Facts About Ali Modu Sheriff
"What we see now is not the Yusufiya which wanted very much to settle a score with former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. It is Boko Haram as a partner to ISIS and Al Shabaab."
"I was not hired by the Federal Government"
The Australian did not deny the fact that he had not been hired by the Nigerian, authorities, which the latter had claimed in the official statement.
Davis admitted that he came to Nigeria in April to facilitate the release of the Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram, but denied that he was engaged by any party.
"I was not engaged by the Federal Government of Nigeria, any state government or any other party. I went to Nigeria in late April in an effort to facilitate a handover of the Chibok captives after discussing such a possibility with former commanders of JAS (Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lih Da’awa wal Jihad otherwise known as JAS) and others close to Boko Haram."
Speaking again about motives of the insurgency sponsors, Davis warned the politicians involved that they would not be able to stop the militants like they might think:
"Therein the sponsors assume they can undermine any efforts of the current government to be re-elected in 2015... Should the sponsors of Boko Haram win government in 2015, they will likely find that they cannot turn Boko Haram off or that Boko Haram will demand control of at least Borno State in return for reducing their attacks. Borno State may be just the beginning of an expanding caliphate."
Davis didn’t speak with real Boko Haram leaders – Nigerian negotiator
In another development of the allegations saga, there appeared a Nigerian negotiator, who pleaded anonymity, saying that Sheriff and Ihejirika could not have been Boko Haram sponsors as the two men were actually sworn enemies of the Islamist group.
The source, who was said to have been aiding the government to put an end to insurgency in the country, even told Vanguard that Sheriff was one of the three most wanted enemies of the sect.
READ ALSO: How CBN Helps Funding Boko Haram – Australian Negotiator
"I can tell you that the group has not forgiven Sheriff over the killing of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who was arrested and killed during his tenure as governor."
The source narrated that Davis had come to Nigeria on his own to secure the release of Chibok girls abducted on April 14. However he said that the Australian never met the real commanders of Boko Haram but depended on information from a member of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Amnesty for information on the activities of the sect.
"We can say with all amount of seriousness that Davis did not meet the leadership and main commanders of Boko Haram during his visit to the North-east. If Davis insists that he met with any senior commander or leader of the sect, we challenge him to mention their names and ranks."
Meanwhile the ex Borno governor threatens Davis with the legal proceedings over the allegations. Reacting to the threats, the Australian dares Sheriff to sue him saying that in that case Sheriff would not be able to escape from the truth.
At the same time the Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS) is believed to have started investigation over the allegations provided by Davis however it was mentioned that there were no plans to prosecute "any Nigerian" based solely on the claims of the Australian expert.
Source: Legit.ng
