INVESTIGATIONS into activities of the dreaded militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram have led operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) and its collaborative local and international agencies into the sources of funding of the dreaded sect.
Information at the disposal of NEWSMEN indicates that operatives were told that the group had received funds from some Al-Qaeda-linked organisations based in the middle East.
However, the operatives were said to have made a shocking find, which confirmed that the group actually received funding from a United Kingdom-based (UK) organisation.
It was gathered that leaders of the sect already arrested had opened up by giving some strategic information, especially on the funding of the dreaded organisation.
Sources confirmed that while the organisation relied on donations by its members in its earlier days, its links with Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) opened it to fundings from groups in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
According to the sources, different confirmations coming from sources in Boko Haram had indicated clearly that a group known as Al-Muntada Trust Fund, with headquarters in the United Kingdom, had extended some financial assistance to the sect.
Investigations, so far, revealed that the sect received financial assistance from some Islamic organisations.
“The sect was also said to have received funding from Islamic World Society with headquarters in Saudi Arabia,” one source stated.
It was gathered that while initial funds for the sect came from contributions by members, there were also donations from notable Muslims, especially a businessman, who was once said to have donated a bus and some loud speakers to the organisation and the late Baba Fugu, Mohammed Yusuf’s in-law, who was said to have donated a farmland at Auno village in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
It was also gathered that security agencies have uncovered another sponsor, whose identity was given as a businessman from Bauchi State. He was said to have developed links with Al-Qaeda in Somalia having received some training from one Abu Umar Al-Wadud, the man who leads Al-Qaeda in Somalia.
The man was said to have escaped from Nigeria in 2009, following the onslaught by security agencies and he is said to be living in Somalia.
Intelligence officers were also said to have been told that the said businessman visited Nigeria in October 2010 and was said to have held meetings in Kano with the leaders of Boko Haram, including Abubakar Shekau, the acclaimed military commander.
It was also gathered that the sect originally planned to replicate Afghanistan situation in Nigeria, as it named its original base in Yobe State as Afghanistan.
Investigators were said to have confirmed that Boko Haram was fashioned after the Taliban movement in Afghanistan and that one of its earliest bases located in Kanama, Yobe State was named Afghanistan.
The base was, however, said to have been demolished in December 2004.
“The group is originally fashioned after the Tali-bans in Afghanistan and it intended to replicate the Afghan situation across Nigeria.
“That is why one of the original bases was named Afghanistan before its demolition in 2004,” a source disclosed.
It was also learnt at the weekend that the State Security Services (SSS) planned to immediately commence the trial of the arrested Boko Haram kingpins as, according to sources, the Director-General of SSS had issued orders indicating that the operatives investigating the suspects must conclude investigations quickly, so as to give way for trial.
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