A large chunk of the finances of Boko
Haram may be passing through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), an
Australian with close links to the militant group has told TheCable. Dr
Stephen Davis, who was in Nigeria for four months trying to negotiate
with Boko Haram to release the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, said Boko
Haram commanders told him a senior CBN official, who cannot be named by
TheCable for legal reasons, was fully involved in the funding
of the insurgency.
of the insurgency.
Davis, who spoke with TheCable on phone from
Australia in his first interview with a Nigerian journalist, said
Western countries could not trace the majority of the source of funding
to Boko Haram because “it is done through a legal channel, through the
gatekeeper, the CBN, and that makes it very easy to cover up”.
Australia in his first interview with a Nigerian journalist, said
Western countries could not trace the majority of the source of funding
to Boko Haram because “it is done through a legal channel, through the
gatekeeper, the CBN, and that makes it very easy to cover up”.
Ads by InfoAd OptionsHe said Boko Haram commanders told him a senior CBN official, who currently works in the bank’s currency
operations division, was the one handling the transactions. “One of the
biggest of suppliers of arms and military uniforms to the JAS (Jama’atu
Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, better known as Boko Haram)
currently lives in Cairo, Egypt.
’s currency
operations division, was the one handling the transactions. “One of the
biggest of suppliers of arms and military uniforms to the JAS (Jama’atu
Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, better known as Boko Haram)
currently lives in Cairo, Egypt.
He is the recipient of money sent by
political sponsors from Nigeria. The funds go through the
CBN’s financial system and appear to be a legal transaction. “Meanwhile,
the CBN official who handles the funding is an uncle to three of those
arrested in connection with the Nyanya bombings.
The three boys lived with him. They were arrested by the SSS (Department of State Security)
after the bombings but they do not seem to have been interrogated about
their uncle in CBN. Or if they have given up information about their
uncle then the SSS has not moved against him.”
)
after the bombings but they do not seem to have been interrogated about
their uncle in CBN. Or if they have given up information about their
uncle then the SSS has not moved against him.”
“Also, a senior official of CBN, who
recently left the bank, was very close to Sodiq Aminu Ogwuche, the
mastermind of the Nyanya bombings who also schooled in Sudan. Boko haram
commanders said Ogwuche’s wife used to visit this top official in his
office at the headquarters of the bank in Abuja before the Nyanya
bombings.
They were very close,” Davis said. The former Canon
Emeritus at Coventry Cathedral, UK, said he decided to come out to
speak now because the Nigerian authorities were not acting fast and he
was heart-broken by the evils being done to the kidnapped Chibok
girls and the many other girls and boys being kidnapped.
Emeritus at Coventry Cathedral, UK, said he decided to come out to
speak now because the Nigerian authorities were not acting fast and he
was heart-broken by the evils being done to the kidnapped Chibok
girls and the many other girls and boys being kidnapped.
“I have three daughters. I just cannot
stand the thought of what those girls are passing through. I have spoken
to an escapee who described how she was being raped for 40 days by
militants. I can’t stand it. It is heart-breaking. Nigerian authorities
must act decisively now,” he said, revealing that he spent “days and
weeks” with commanders of Boko Haram in the north-east during his time
in Nigeria. Davis, 63, holds a PhD in political geography from the
University of Melbourne, Australia.
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