SAN FRANCISCO, July 19, (THEWILL) – Arrested Boko Haram insurgents have disclosed how much they were paid for participating in various attack by the sect.
Mayinta Modu, a suspected Boko Haram commander, says he received N30, 000 as payment for coordinating and participating in the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls.
Modu said this in an interview with NAN on Thursday at the Borno state police command, Maiduguri.
The Boko Haram commander said he was among the 22 suspected insurgents arrested by the police over the abduction of the schoolgirls and attacks on communities, military, security agencies as well as suicide bombings in Borno and Adamawa.
The suspects were arrested by the police intelligence response team (IRT), under the command of DCP Abba Kyari, in Borno and Yobe states.
Damian Chukwu, Borno police commissioner, disclosed that Modu and seven other suspects participated actively in the abduction of the schoolgirls.
Modu, who hails from Bama in Borno, said he and other commanders led dozens of fighters to Chibok and abducted the girls from their school in Chibok.
The suspect said the insurgents spent many days in the wilderness before they finally handed over the girls to top commanders of the group.
“Most of the abducted girls were released. We were paid N30, 000 each for participation in the abduction,” he said.
“Equally, when the girls were released sequel to the negotiation with government, we got additional payment of between N30, 000 and N60, 000 each.”
Modu said he coordinated several attacks on Bama and Gwoza communities, which resulted in the loss of lives and property.
The suspect further revealed that he also facilitated recruitment of girls and boys used as suicide bombers in Maiduguri and other parts of the north-east.
On his part, Abubakar Kori, a dwarf, who facilitated the suicide bombing activities of ‘Boko-Haram’ insurgents, said he was paid not less than N5, 000 for each suicide bomb attack carried out by the insurgents in Maiduguri.
Kori, who was a security guard at a fuel dispensing station in Dalori area of Maiduguri, said that he participated in several suicide bomb attacks in recent months in the metropolis.
“My role is to keep the Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) for onward delivery to another person who will carry out the attack.
“On different occasions, two of my acquaintances gave a parcel to keep for somebody, who will come and take it.
“I normally kept the parcel in my duty post; the appointed person would come and picked it; after successful delivery, they paid me N5, 000.
“We reside in the same neighborhood in Maiduguri; they always told me that the parcel was given to them by one Ba’Adam, and asked me to keep it.
“They introduced me to Ba’Adam, who is the mastermind of the attacks,” he revealed.
Also, Adam Mustapha, a.k.a Ba’Adam, admitted that he coordinated various suicide bomb attacks, which resulted in the death of hundreds of people in Maiduguri.
Ba’Adam, 20, narrated that he had coordinated several bomb attacks at Bulukuntu, Baga road, 333 Artillery gate, Customs, Post Office and Muna Garage areas of Maiduguri.
“On two occasions, I was paid N200, 000 for the successful execution of bomb attacks.
“Most of the time I had to pester them before payment could be made to me,” he said.
When asked whether he had cause at any time to regret his actions, Ba’Adam said that he was never remorseful at any given time.
Another suspect, Ibrahim Mala, 48, also admitted to aiding suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, sales of rustled animals and supply of logistics to the insurgents in the bush.
Mala, a butcher and resident of Dalori-Kakere village in the outskirts of Maiduguri, revealed that the insurgents were supplying sheep and provided him with N180, 000 loans, to enable him to run his business.
“They paid me N5, 000 for safe keeping of IEDs, and they also sent me on errands to buy consumable items for them.
“I bought the items at the market and kept it at my home; some persons would come at night, pick and deliver same to members of the group hiding in the forest.
“Some of the items included torch lights, matches, sandals, kola nuts, cubes and clothing materials.
“I saved money in dealing with the group and bought a plot of land worth over N420, 000.
“I know that they are Boko-Haram insurgents and my wife was not happy with my dealings with them; she asked me to stop but it is too late,” he narrated.
Commenting on the arrest, Mr Abba Kyari, the DCP, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), said that the suspects were apprehended by the police in various communities in Borno and Yobe.
Kyari called on members of the public to report suspicious persons and movement to the security agencies.
He also called on the people to cooperate with the police and other security agencies to end insurgency and restore peace to the North-East sub-region.
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