Some Nigerian soldiers arrested in the crack down of those funding Boko Haram have disclosed the identities of their civilian collaborators.
The arrests of the military officers came after in-depth investigation into connections between Boko Haram members and military officers, who usually helped the insurgent to infiltrate into the army and sabotage efforts to end terrorism in Nigeria.
An operation had long been launched by the Federal Government against suspected financiers and collaborators of Boko Haram. The ongoing inter-agency operation is being led by a top intelligence officer, with an army general leading a task team comprising military personnel and staff from intelligence services.
Source closed to military says the operation is being coordinated by Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). As part of the operation, billions of naira traced to businesses belonging to persons of interest have been blocked in banks in series of “post no debit” letters sent out to banks by the CBN and NFIU.
Twenty soldiers who were arrested in the operation are currently being detained in Borno State.
“About 20 of them were arrested in Borno and detained. In the course of interrogation they revealed a lot including the identity of some of their civilian collaborators who were also arrested,” a military source revealed
When contacted, spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Major General Mohammed Yerima, said he was not aware of the arrest of army officers in connection with allegation of collaboration with Boko Haram elements.
He also referred the question on the military’s involvement in the operation to the DSS, saying issues to do with arrests on charges of terrorism financing is under the purview of the DSS.
