Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis has revealed more ways through which Ali Modu Sheriff is sponsoring members of the Islamic extremist sect Boko Haram, appealing to the sect to embrace peace, following the death Abubakar Shekau’s impostor for more than a year.
According to Davis the real Shekau was killed in June 2013.
Davis made the appeal in an interview with Vanguard Online, at the weekend. He talked about the ways in which former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff employed in sponsoring Boko Haram.
He said Sheriff sponsored many boys to Saudi Arabia, for the lesser Hajj, where they are recruited by Boko Haram, sent for training in Mali and in Nigeria.
Davis was quoted as saying: “Funds are provided to purchase weapons. This is sometimes transferred through the Central Bank of Nigeria to a person in Cairo who provides the weapons and also provides military uniforms.
“At other times vehicles are purchased in Benin for example and driven into Nigeria where they are sold for cash. They do not mind taking a loss on the sale price as by this method they can obtain cash in Nigeria without a direct link to the sponsor.”
He said the laundered money is received in Egypt by a Kanuri man, whose identity is known by DSS. According to him, the Kanuri man has graduated from local Boko Haram and now associates with a network of jihadists around the world.
Davis said: “Former governor Sheriff was specifically mentioned many times. Specifically for example, Sheriff was mentioned as sponsoring trips of the boys to the Lesser Hajj. There, the boys are “reorientated”.
“In effect they are recruited to Boko Haram. When they return to Nigeria the recruits are then taken off for further reorientation by which they mean teaching and training. Some of the trainings took place in Mali by Tuareg leaders but now more training is conducted locally.
“At other times vehicles are purchased in Benin for example and driven into Nigeria where they are sold for cash. They do not mind taking a loss on the sale price as by this method they can obtain cash in Nigeria without a direct link to the sponsor.
“VW Golf was mentioned as a favourite. They can sell these very easily in Nigeria. They do keep some to use for suicide bombing. Some time ago they told me one sponsor pledged six Hilux vehicles for the suicide bombers”.
