A top Boko Haram Commander, Auwal Ismaeela, has confessed his crimes as an insurgent leader.
In his confessional statements, Ismaeela also gave several reasons for his decision to voluntarily surrender to the Nigerian troops.
He said he took the decision to surrender after realizing that the leaders of the religious extremist group took pride in preaching misleading sermons, raping women publicly, stealing, and carrying out deliberate barbaric indoctrination in some of the Boko Haram camps.
“I willingly surrendered to the military because I was tired of the senseless killing and fight. I realised that our people have resort to stealing and all sort of atrocity contrary to the teaching and practice of Islam”, he said.
“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.”
Ismaeela, who played a major role in the abduction of Chibok Girls and killing of youths in Madagali, also 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.
The ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity.
He said: “My self 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 youths 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.”
Ismaeela is currently cooperating with the Nigerian Military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top Commanders of the deadly sect.
