News

‘I regret tearing my certificate,’ Ex-female Boko Haram member

Fatima Musa, a repentant female Boko Haram member in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, has said she regretted shredding her National Diploma Certificate (NCE) into pieces after joining the insurgent group.

She said she was convinced to tear up her NCE certificate when she accepted the twisted ideology of Boko Haram that western education was Haram.

Musa who was deradicalised and resettled in Mafa spoke in Maiduguri during a community dialogue on understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence organised for the repentant Boko Haram members and community leaders of Mafa.

The dialogue was organised by a community-based NGO, Allamin Foundation with support from the British Government under the UKaid.

Musa, who was deradicalised with other repentant women by the foundation, said many of them joined the insurgency at a young age after they were misled.

“We were misled as young people through the use of religion and later discovered that we went the wrong way after were deradicalised by the foundation.

”We met with clerics who put us on the right track regarding Islam. We are now matured and more knowledgeable on Islam and the teachings of the Holy Prophet that promotes peace and tolerance.

“I regret tearing my NCE certificate up when I made the mistake of accepting the twisted ideology that western education was Haram.

”One of my prayer for now is to reach out to my father, who is now in a neighbouring country to beg for his forgiveness for joining the sect against his wish,” she said.

Also speaking at the dialogue, another deradicalised female, who identified herself as Bintu, pleaded for forgiveness from the people of Mafa and urged for support to the foundation to reach out to more women and men in the bush.

Bintu pointed out that few cases of some repentants returning to the bush had to do with stigma and harassment by some people, telling them that they were doomed for hell fire inspite of their repentance.

“If you keep telling people they are doomed, they’ll say since there’s no forgiveness, they had better go back and continue.

“Some of the surrendered have easy money and others loot in the bush. They are struggling for survival with other citizens in their communities.

“Such repentants need to be encouraged to start a new life to sustain it,” Bintu said.

Some residents of Mafa who also spoke at the meeting, urged government to do more on the deradicalisation and resettlement process through more empowerment support to victims and those that repented in line with transitional Justice.

The leader of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Mafa, Babagana Butu, said members now include some of the repentant insurgents.

”We patrol the area together. We provided them with farmlands to cultivate like everyone as part of the reintegration process.

“We want the government to also remember them in its empowerment programmes to enable them sustain themselves and their families as well as contribute positively to the society,” Butu said.

In her remarks, the Executive Director of the foundation, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, said the dialogue was organised to discuss issues arising from the reintegration process and the way forward regarding challenges faced.

A lecture on Islamic ruling on peace, reconciliation and peaceful co-existence was delivered by a Consultant and Peace Mediator, Shiekh Ali Mustapha. (NAN/PM)

News

Yahaya Bello is not in our custody, still wanted – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied reports claiming embattled former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, is in their custody.

In a statement released on Wednesday, September 18, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the ex-governor remains wanted “for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges.”

“Media reports today that a former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is incorrect. The Commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody.

Bello, already declared wanted by the Commission for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest,” Oyewale said.

Earlier today, Bello’s media team released a statement claiming he had honored the invitation from EFCC.

News

Police commences investigation into officer’s altercation with Elderly woman

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into circumstances leading to the altercation captured on video between a police officer and an elderly woman.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident took place in the Alagbado area of Lagos State in the first week of September 2024.

In a statement released, the spokesperson of the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Police Inspector and his supervising DSP have been brought in for questioning while the Complaint Response Unit has established contact with the woman in the video.

Hundeyin added that the Lagos State Police Command totally condemns the unprofessional conduct of the Inspector as it does not represent the ethics and operational standards of the Nigeria Police Force.

He stated that the command assures Lagosians that the investigation will be swift, thorough and conclusive while ensuring that the officers are disciplined as appropriate and members of the public are updated accordingly.

News

EFCC operatives storm Kogi Governor’s Lodge to arrest Yahaya Bello

In a dramatic turn of events, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly stormed the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, on Wednesday night in a mission to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello.

According to a statement released by the Director of Media, Ohiare Michael, the operatives arrived in an aggressive manner, allegedly firing shots sporadically around the premises.

The statement noted that Bello had voluntarily visited the EFCC office earlier in the day but was told to leave and return at a later time.

“It was reported earlier that the former Governor went to the EFCC Office voluntarily, but the Commission told him to leave and come at a later date, only to mount a Gestapo-like attack on the Kogi State Government facility in Asokoro.”

The media team expressed grave concern over the manner of the EFCC‘s actions, warning that the agency should be held accountable for any harm that might come to the ex-governor.

“We want to place it on record that the EFCC should be held accountable if anything untoward happens to him,” the statement continued.

Bello’s team condemned the attack as unnecessary, stating that the former governor had already made himself available to the EFCC for questioning earlier in the day.

“Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no questions to ask Alh. Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they are out to arrest him,” the statement said.

The media team accused the EFCC of using its powers for political purposes rather than fulfilling its mandate to combat corruption.

“This action is condemnable. They have displayed the very reason many Nigerians believe they were fighting political battles instead of the mandate to fight corruption. This action reflects much more than the fight against corruption,” the statement said.

As of now, no official statement has been made by the EFCC regarding the incident.