Over three years after some students, now popularly identified as Chibok girls, were kidnapped by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, one of the group’s commander, Auwal Ismaeela, has confessed to leading the squad that carried out the operation.
The over 200 girls were kidnapped from their schools in Chibok town of Borno State.
While some of the girls luckily found their way back, some were rescued through a swap deal with the terrorists group and many still remain in the custody of Boko Haram.
In an interview with a news agency, PRNigeria, Ismaeela also confessed to leading the squad that invaded some other communities including Gwoza, Bama, Limankara mobile barrack, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi, and Mubi.
His words: “Myself and Abu Hafsat, a Boko Haram commander, led other squads to abduct the Chibok girls.
“We led the operations to invade Gwoza, Bama, Limankara mobile barrack, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi, and Mubi.
“In Madagali which was my home town, myself, Adam Vitiri, Abu Adam and Habu Kudama, some high-ranking Boko Haram Commander led an operation in 2014 where we killed some students and youth at the Central Secondary School in Sabon Garin Madagali.”
According to him, while in one of the operations, he kidnapped a girl whom he later married, he lost his leg in another one.
He said his decision to surrender to Nigerian troops was because he was tired of “the senseless killing and fight.”
While also pointing out that most of the activities were contrary to Islamic injunctions, he said they were brainwashed by the leaders of the group.
He gave the assurance to continue to help the military by disclosing the hide outs of the leaders of the group among other secrets.
Below is the statement by PRNigeria on the interview with Auwal Ismaeela, the Boko Haram Commander:
Ahead of the Islamic Festival of Eid-Kabir coming up by the weekend, a top Boko Haram commander who played a major role in the abduction of Chibok Girls and killing of youths in Madagali has surrendered and confessed to several acts of bloodletting on innocent people and destruction of properties across the length and breadth of the North-eastern part of the country.
In an interview with PRNigeria at a military facility for the repentant and surrendered Boko Haram members in the North-east, the ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity.
The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently cooperating with the Nigerian military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the deadly sect.
He regretted his actions which according to him, run counter to several Islamic injunctions.
Mr. Ismaeela encouraged other top commanders of the sect to give up and surrender to the military.
“Myself and Abu Hafsat, a Boko Haram commander, led other squads to abduct the Chibok girls.
“We led the operations to invade Gwoza, Bama, Limankara mobile barrack, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi, and Mubi.
“In Madagali which was my home town, myself, Adam Vitiri, Abu Adam and Habu Kudama, some high-ranking Boko Haram Commander led an operation in 2014 where we killed some students and youth at the Central Secondary School in Sabon Garin Madagali.
“In one of the operations, I abducted my wife named Maryam who had two kids for me in Sambisa Forest.
“It is unfortunate that I was brainwashed and misled not only on some abductions but in the killings of my own people that were innocent. I wholeheartedly regret my actions.
“During a battle in Konduga where myself and other Boko Haram commanders led the operations, I lost my right leg and was almost got burnt. Even at that, I did not stop fighting for the course. Sheikh Shekau ordered that I should be given a tricycle which I continued to use for various operations before I eventually surrendered.”
He gave several reasons for his decision to voluntarily surrender to the Nigerian troops after realising the misleading sermons, barbaric indoctrination of the sect leaders and atrocities being committed in some of the Boko Haram camps.
He said: “I willingly surrendered to the military because I was tired of the senseless killing and fight. I realised that our people have resorted to stealing and all sort of atrocity contrary to the teaching and practice of Islam.
“Women were being raped, sometimes publicly. Children died from malnutrition and disease as the living condition became harsher. As there was no food in the camp, people died every day because of hunger.
“I will continue to cooperate with the security agencies in providing useful information on our mode of operations and to disclose top-secret hideouts of our commanders.”
Meanwhile, more than one hundred (100) Boko Haram members and some commanders had in the recent past surrendered to the military knowing full well that their actions had become inimical to the overall interest and well-being of the nation and the surrounding countries of Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
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