SECURITY agents are sure they have seized, the man using the pseudonym Abu Qaqa, spokesman of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
Qaqa’s aunty and a cousin of his, who were flown to Abuja from Kaduna on Wednesday, are being interrogated by the State Security Service (SSS). The sect confirmed yesterday that the suspect is its man.
A security source, who spoke in confidence, said preliminary investigations confirmed that the suspect is “the wanted spokesman of Boko Haram”.
Detectives left Abuja last night for Damaturu, Yobe State to search the suspect’s home.
The source said: “After prolonged interaction with the suspect, he admitted to the SSS team of interrogators.”
“I am Abu Qaqa,” he was quoted as saying.
Security agents are suspecting that he is an Ebira from Kogi State, going by his intonation. “We have been working on a theory that he might be an Igala, also from Kogi State.
“We will soon release a fact-sheet on him to the public but we do not want to prejudice the investigation.
“The interrogation is continuing. We are also screening his call logs.”
The source described Qaqa’s arrest as dramatic.
“He said: “The officer who led the team just returned from training in London. When the team got to Qaqa’s hideout in Kaduna, he was with his aunty and a cousin. This has confirmed that with training in anti-terrorism by our security agents, we can easily win the war.
“Sensing that the game was up, Qaqa hid under a bed and wrapped himself up with a blanket.
“Upon enquiry, his aunty told the security team that Qaqa had gone to another cousin’s house to pass the night.
“But the security team told the aunty that if they got to the cousin’s house and Qaqa was nowhere to be found, she would be killed along with the cousin.
“When the cousin heard that they might be killed for deceiving the team, he told the aunty: ‘Tell them the truth now, tell them the truth’. At that point, the aunty pointed in the direction where Qaqa was hiding, under the bed.
“The security team dragged Qaqa and another Boko Haram top shot out. They were immediately moved to Abuja.”
Another source added: “We are grilling the aunty who seems to know more about the operation of Boko Haram. The cousin is also being questioned on what he knows about the operation of Boko Haram.” Qaqa’s aunty is believed to own the house where he was arrested.
A special team of investigators of the State Security Service (SSS) last night left Abuja for Damaturu to search the home of Abu Qaqa.
Qaqa reportedly cut his terrorism teeth in Yobe State.
A source said: “The preliminary investigation has confirmed that Qaqa lived in Yobe for a long time.
“The area where Qaqa is living in Damaturu is under emergency. So, the investigators do not need any search warrant. They can barge into the house and conduct a search without the suspect.”
“The SSS is not making official pronouncement yet because the arrest of Qaqa is a high-risk type and it has to do with a terror syndicate.
“Unless the investigation has reached an appreciable level, the SSS might not talk yet.”
Qaqa is being detained at a secret location.
A Boko Haram chieftain last night spoke on Wednesday’s arrest of the sect’s spokesman.
He confirmed in a telephone interview with reporters in Maiduguri that the spokesman whose real name is Abu Darda, was their top member who was arrested on his way to meeting with a government officials who offered to broker peace between the sect and government.
The Boko Haram chieftain who identified himself as the real Abu Qaqa, said the arrested spokesman who, until his arrest, had been functioning as the sect’s Head of enlightenment, was using the name Abu Qaqa in “representative capacity”.
The new spokesman explained that though the arrest of Darda was a big loss to the sect, it will not deter them.
He recalled that their founding spiritual leader, the late Muhammed Yusuf was arrested “on a number of times and was even killed, yet the movement has survived” Abu Qaqa said the Federal government has revealed its hidden insincerity about its call for dialogue by the arrest of their spokesman. He said they may not honour any future call for dialogue, until government frees all their arrested members currently in detention.
He said they were responsible for the killing of the seven persons that were found dead in Maiduguri yesterday. He said they were among 30 persons who revealed the hideouts of the 11 Boko Haram members that were shot dead by the Joint Task Force (JTF) last Saturday. He said the remaining 23 “traitors” will be killed soon.
Qaqa said all windows of dialogue with government will remain permanently sealed until government frees all arrested Boko Haram members. “Then we can send five of our representatives to dialogue with government”.
His words: “I am Abul Qaqa, the spokesman of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. The arrested member Abu Dardaa is the head of the Lagina (Dept) of public enlightenment and not the spokesman. The arrest of Abu Dardaa is an outright deception and betrayal by the Nigerian government and security agents. They proclaimed dialogue and are doing the opposite. His arrest has proven to us that they were waiting for us to avail ourselves so that they can arrest us.
“We purposely sent Abu Dardaa to Kaduna to discuss with some key government functionaries on the dialogue proposal. Indeed, he had started talking to them but unknown to him; they directed some security agents to trail him and he was arrested. This is exactly what happened. He volunteered to present himself for the dialogue but was betrayed. Everybody knows our capability and operating tactics.”
Source: The Nation
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