Investigation: How Terrorism in Nigeria is Funded

Some methods adopted by foreign sponsors of Boko Haram to launder money to the terrorist group have been uncovered, LEADERSHIP can authoritatively report.

This development is coming on the heels of revelations by Major-General Garba Wahab, the general officer commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division, Nigerian Army, that officers of the division have arrested an orange seller in Kaduna who allegedly spied for the group: his bank account had witnessed transactions of over N600million in just three months.
Initially, foreign groups, through agents in Nigeria, sent money through the normal banking channels and these funds can come classified as aid to support religion, humanitarian causes and any other excuse not frowned at by the laws of the land.
But with searchlights beamed on money transfers, and considering that one cannot just stroll into a foreign airport with a large cache of money, funds abroad where "turned" into goods which are sent here and re-converted into cash bigger than the original.
A source who sought anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter confided that "because of the risk involved with banks where large movements of cash can be noticed, monitored and reported to relevant bodies, the foreign sponsorship is in handsets and accessories and torchlights here".
The source, who said that the shipped goods are mainly cheap and from countries like Dubai and China, explained that what the groups are after is the high and fast turnover from the sales.
The source said, "Now, look at the number of people selling these things... as decoys. And you will know how much they remit to where they are supposed to remit to".
Musa Abdullahi, a resident of Potiskum in Yobe State, says he knows some youths who suddenly became rich when they started this business. He gave an instance of a boy who was killed by some terrorists in front of his family house.
Abdullahi said it was later found out that the group "opened the shop for the boy with the understanding that he would be getting supplies while he made an agreed remittance, but the boy later wanted to walk out and he was killed". Abdullahi said the boy became relatively rich within three months, "which is not normal, considering the type of business and its little profit margin".
According to investigations, the business, to the decoys, is lucrative and risks associated generally with highly profitable businesses are lacking.
A businessman in Kano (name and shop number withheld) disclosed to our reporters how he was recruited and how profitable the business is: "My shop was destroyed in the Farm Centre attack of 20th January, last year, by the Boko Haram and thus I lost everything," said the man.
With nobody to come to his aid and family demands weighing him down, what to him was "succour by providence" came to him in the form of a businessman based in Abuja.
"Without capital," he continued, "the Good Samaritan supplies me with these GSM accessories, rechargeable torchlights, table lamps, etc, which I sell."
On how he balances the supplier, he reveals that the supplier does not collect the proceeds but that he (the seller) keeps 20 per cent of it while he gives 80 per cent to somebody else "who disturbs me with calls if on the agreed date he does not see alert from his bankers".
When the Emir Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ado Bayero, was attacked on January 19, this year, a wheelbarrow pusher who ostensibly was selling these products called "kayan loki" barricaded the road and detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) as a signal for the gunmen to start shooting.
In many of their attacks, witnesses have seen how guns and ammunition were taken out of wheelbarrows and placed at strategic locations by the gunmen. Even though these products are sold by wheelbarrow pushers, some do so in kiosks.
Some people who have taken pains to study Boko Haram said that such businesses were key in oiling their day-to-day activities and upkeep of members while they attacked banks when they needed fast, big cash.
At times, according to the observers, moneys from sales remitted to individuals are withdrawn and remitted to various cells of the group in various towns.
Recently, Kabiru Sokoto, a Boko Haram kingpin who is facing charges at an Abuja high court, confessed to receiving, as his share, N500, 000 from a N40m fund sent to his group, which even caused a split among the members.
Senate approves emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday unanimously approved President Goodluck Jonathan's declaration of a state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe with a caveat that federal troops deployed to the affected states be issued a proper code of conduct to avoid innocent civilian population getting caught in the middle of the conflict.
Rising from a closed-door executive session which lasted over an hour, Senate president David Mark declared that the military option was not the final solution to end the insurgency which has pitted the federal government with Islamist extremists in many parts of northern Nigeria. Mark proposed a "carrot and stick policy" to ensure that the insurgency is brought to a logical conclusion as quickly as possible.
Mark had earlier read at plenary a letter from Jonathan seeking legislative approval for the state of emergency earlier declared in the three states.
100 out of 109 senators attended the closed-door executive session. Section 305 (2) and (6) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that such proclamation (emergency rule) by the president and commander-in-chief must be endorsed by two-thirds majority of the Senate, which translates to 72 of the 109 members of the senators in plenary. Mark said the nine senators who were absent were out on "essential duties".
Again, Mark emphasised that all democratic structures in the affected states must be left in place and allowed to operate fully and actively during the period of emergency rule. The Senate president stated that elected state officials must be involved in all efforts by the federal government to end the insurgency.
Mark said: "In the closed session, we extensively discussed some of the issues we think are very important to this proclamation of state of emergency. We want to emphasis emphatically that all democratic structures must be left in place and they must be allowed to operate fully and actively and they must also be involved in all the efforts that the federal government is putting up to bring this ugly situation to an end. We would also like to emphasise that the armed forces are issued a proper code of conduct where they should be humane and benevolent and make sure that all citizens are treated with utmost respect so that they do not lose their respect as human beings.
Reps approves amended proclamation of emergency rule
Having received the copies of the gazetted proclamation of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states from President Jonathan, the House of Representatives yesterday considered, approved and adopted the details of the proclamation with amendments.
The changes made to the document by the lawmakers yesterday after a 4-hour closed-door session include the compensation of victims of terrorist attacks in the states on or before declaration of the state of emergency.
Presiding over the session, speaker of the House Hon Aminu Tambuwal said the House also resolved to specify that the funding of the military intervention would be approved by the National Assembly.
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