Home Nigerian News Music Movies Confession Browse Profiles Park

Obasanja to stop boko haram bombing and the killing in Jos.
Babakura Fugu , the
representative of Mohammed
Yusuf’s family that received
former President Olusegun
Obasanjo in Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital, on
Thursday, has been killed.
He was shot dead yesterday.
His assailants were said to
have been led by his younger
brother.
Yusuf was the deceased
leader of the now dreaded
Ahlan Sunnah Lid Da’waati
wal Jihad Yaanaa (brothers),
popularly known as the Boko
Haram sect, who was killed
while in police custody in
December 2009.
Sources told Sunday
Vanguard that members of
the sect may have felt he
(Fugu) shouldn’t have been
the one to receive Obasanjo.
It was learnt that “there may
have been evidence of envy
in the ranks of the sect
members”.
In addition, it was gathered
that the former president
gave a gift of cash to the
family after his meeting.
The money (the exact
amount which could not be
ascertained) is being
rumoured to be a source of
friction among the sect
members.
According to the sources,
Boko Haram members had
put in place a formula for the
sharing of whatever
proceeds that may come into
the purse of the sect – made
up of either money stolen
from banks or gifts.
The sharing formula is said
to have five overheads viz:
* Widows of members
* Zhakat
* Less privileged members
* Sukrah – this is the highest
ruling organ of the sect
* Members who robbed or
got the money into the purse
of the group.
Although unconfirmed,
Sunday Vanguard learnt that
“Fugu may have jettisoned
this sharing formula”.
The former president had
met with members of Yusuf’s
family at the family house in
Maiduguri
Obasanjo, who arrived at the
Maiduguri airport, on
Thursday at 11:40 a.m., was
received by the state deputy
governor, Zanna Umar
Mustapha.
The meeting with the family
members lasted about 90
minutes. Obasanjo met
Yusuf’s family members at
Railway Quarters, the
demolished headquarters of
the sect.
Obasanjo, at that meeting,
said: “This is a personal
initiative.
“I urge you to forgive and
forget the past.
“I plead with you, give me
the chance to mediate
between the family and
government”.
In response, Fugu, Yusuf’s
brother-in-law, whose father
was executed in 2009 and
he himself killed in
yesterday’s incident, said,
“Since 2009, this is the first
time any high profile figure
would be commiserating
with the family.
“We are happy with this visit.
“About 30 to 40 per cent of
our members are scattered
in neighbouring countries of
Chad, Niger and Cameroun”.
The former president
thereafter departed Borno.
Earlier on Wednesday,
Obasanjo was in Jos, the
Plateau State capital, which
has been a theatre of ethno-
religious killings.
His visit to Jos saw him
holding talks with the
leadership of Jamatu Nasir
Islam, JNI, and the Christian
Association of Nigeria, CAN,
as well as leaders of Plateau
State.
Although details of
Obasanjo’s meetings with
the Boko Haram members
and the Plateau religious
leaders were not
immediately known, Sunday
Vanguard was made to
understand that they were
not unconnected with the
increase in the wave of
bombings and killings in the
country.
Yusuf, the Boko Haram
leader, was killed while in the
custody of the police in
Maiduguri after his arrest by
men of the Joint Task Force,
JTF.
Already, some policemen are
being tried for the extra-
judicial killing. The trial is
believed to be a way of
assuaging the feelings of the
sect leaders and getting
them to cease fire.
But the bombings and
killings have continued with
the United Nations
headquarters in Abuja being
the latest target to be hit by
the Boko Haram members,
leaving scores of people
dead. Before then, they had
bombed the police
headquarters in Abuja.


<< Back to Blogs | Post a comment