How My ‘Imam’ initiated me into Boko Haram –Suspected Abuja bomber

One of the suspects that carried out the recent bombings in Abuja in which many people were killed and some were injured, Abdulwaheed Nasiru, has revealed how his Imam initiated him as a member of the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Nasiru, also known as Haulaki and four other suspected terrorists were arrested in Abuja and charged to court on Thursday.

Before he was taken to court, Nasiru spoke with some journalists and made the startling revelation. According to a police source, the exhibits and information gathered from scenes of the explosions, led to the arrest of the accused. He said the exhibits and intelligence report were transferred to the Special Intelligence Response Team (SIRT), a new squad created by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, to combat terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

SIRT operatives trailed two of the suspects, Abdulazeez Muhazab and Ishiaka Salihu, to a house at Karmajiri, behind Military Area off Airport Road, Abuja, where they recovered some explosives, detonators, chemicals in both liquid and powder form used in making bombs.

After the arrest and subsequent interrogation of the two suspects, they fingered Nasiru and Abu Hamza as their leaders in Abuja. Nasiru, whose wife is currently pregnant, described himself a primary school dropout from Kogi State. He further said: “I came to Abuja seven years ago to learn auto mechanic at the Games Village.

I graduated four years before establishing my workshop at Galadimawa Roundabout. In 2013, I joined Boko Haram. There’s mosque along the road, before Total Filling Station, in Aiyoke Area of Okene, Kogi State. I rented an apartment very close to the mosque.

“One of the sons of the landlord of that house, Abubakar, was my friend. He was killed during an operation. Abubakar regularly visited that mosque. He was the person who introduced me to the Imam. The Imam is also the owner of the mosque. His name is Mustapha.

Mustapha is currently in the custody of security agents. Mustapha initiated me into the Boko Haram sect. He urged me through his teachings, after Jumat, Saturdays and Sundays prayers, to be faithful to God. “He said I should do Allah’s wishes. I should oppose those going against the teachings of Prophet Mohammed.

Mustapha used to urge us to support the cause of Jihad in the North-Eastern part of the country in any way we could. He said if we could not donate money to the cause or volunteer to be part of the group, we should pray for those waging the war.”

A police source said that the arrest of the suspects had since thrown other members of the sect at Igbira in Okene area of Kogi State, into panic. The source further said: “Several members of the sect based in Abuja are returning to Okene. Some of the suspects were arrested, while others had been forced to relocate to neighbouring states.” During interrogations, Nasiru mentioned the addresses of three houses in Abuja and Suleija, Niger State, where the sect used to produce and store explosives.

It was learnt that the team advanced to Gauaraka area in Suleja, Niger State and found five ready-made IEDS, bomb-making chemicals, detonator, HP laptop, two books on chemicals and engineering materials, an Ipad loaded with IED, number plate, digital timer and a knife. Nasiru also led the operatives to Galadima area, where a senior member of the sect, Adulahi Nasir, a local electronic engineer, was arrested.

Speaking further on his initiation, Nasiru said: “In some of the teachings of my Imam, he told us that western education was a sin and working for the government was also a sin. He asked those who had gone through secondary and university education to destroy their certificates.”

Source: newtelegraphonline.com