Qaqa - Boko Haram Is Under Duress, Divided

This Day

7 February 2012

Qaqa - Boko Haram Is Under Duress, Divided

Arrested Boko Haram spokesman, Abu Qaqa, has told his interrogators that prior to his capture last week, the sect was already under severe duress and divided along ethnic lines.

Information reaching THISDAY from sources with access to the interrogation room of the State Security Service (SSS) revealed that the sect is embroiled and distracted by a war of ethnic cleansing among its rank and file.

"Before I was arrested, some of us had already shown signs of fatigue," Qaqa confessed to his interrogators while also acknowledging divisions within the group along ethnic lines, as non-Kanuri Boko Haram members have been fretting over the arrest of only their members.

The source also said that Qaqa has opened up on the larger-than-life image of their leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, whom he accused of ordering the execution of any member who tries to back out from their cause.

"Most of us were tired of fighting, but we couldn't come out to say so because of fear of reprisal from Leader Imam Shekau on dissenting members. Several of our members who denounced the violent struggle were slaughtered in front of their wives and children. Seven were killed recently," he was quoted to have said.

The source added that Qaqa had disclosed that the non-Kanuri members of Boko Haram - comprising Hausa-Fulanis and others - are worried over the spate of arrests of members from their ethnic stock.

Their worry is heightened by the fact that most of the key members that have been arrested are non-Kanuris, which has raised fears that there is sectional betrayal of members.

Qaqa, 42, had variously used the names: Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya, and Abdulrahman Abdullahi.

When he was set free after the Bauchi jail break by some Boko Haram members, he adopted the name Abu Dardaa before adopting another alias, Abu Qaqa, until his arrest last week.

He holds an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Social Work and Administration from Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Borno State.

The former spokesman, who was earlier reported as being an Igala man from Kogi State, has confessed to coming from Ebiya South village in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, largely dominated by the Ebira tribe.

The SSS had in an early morning operation last Wednesday raided the Mubi Close residence of the spokesman along

Maiduguri Road

in Kaduna and whisked him away with two other persons in the house, before flying them to Abuja for grilling. He was found hiding under his bed.

Qaqa was trailed to his hideout by a combined team of SSS men and soldiers using GPRS to track his telephone calls.

Meanwhile, in Kano, the state police command announced that suspected members of Boko Haram yesterday attacked and bombed the Sharada Police Station with explosives.

According to the police, the Boko Haram attacked the police station from all directions and opened fire to scare away people from the area.

The police station which is situated on the outskirts of Kano, was said to be attacked by the suspected Boko Haram members in the late evening when residents were rushing home to beat the curfew in the state.

State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, confirmed the attack, stating that security agents were drafted to the area to contain the situation.

A riot policeman also sustained injury on his leg during the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment, according to a police source.

It was also gathered that the policemen in the state were proactive and effectively warded off the attack.

Another attack was said to have also taken place at the Mariri Police Station which is situated along

Kano/Jigawa Road

in Kano.

But details of the attack were scanty as at press time.