Terror Financing: Gen Ali-Keffi Writes Tinubu Over Detention, Compulsory Retirement For Exposing Masterminds

A Former General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as his illegal arrest, detention and compulsory retirement from Service.

General Ali-Keffi alleged that the unfair treatment meted to him followed the revelations of a presidential investigative taskforce that he headed, which exposed the involvement of senior government officials, a top banker and top military brass in terrorism financing as head of Operation Service Wide (OPS) set up by former President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate those involved in terrorism financing.

He headed a presidential instituted Board of Inquiry (BOI) convened by Major General BM Monguno (rtd), the former National Security Adviser (NSA), which sat in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for five weeks from early January to late February 2020.

The petition to President Tinubu stated thus; “I was the President of the BOI with members/secretary drawn from the NCS, NIS, DSS, NIA, ONSA, NFIU as well as from the Police. The Board of Inquiry, which largely conducted its work as an investigative body, was tasked to investigate circumstances surrounding the illegal smuggling of petroleum products contained in 168 oil tankers into Benin Republic through a single smuggling route in Ilesa Barbara in Kwara State.

“The BOI went further to uncover 295 oil tankers that conveyed Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the major smugglers identified.”

The petitioner stated that the BOI made a significant discovery regarding the relationship between the smuggling racket, the terrorism besetting the North-East, the banditry/kidnapping for ransom which was at its formative stage in the North-West and parts of North-Central geo-political zones.

He claimed this included illegal mining of minerals in the North-West and North-Central regions as well as large scale laundering of funds mostly meant for counter-terrorism/insurgency operations that was ongoing mostly in the Northern regions of the country.

The retired General further stated thus; “A syndicate which had extensive network in the country as well as being affiliated to international criminal network was as the center of moving finances for terrorism for other criminal activities stated above.

“The most worrisome aspect was that some of the individuals involved in terrorism financing of Boko Haram terrorists and who were also involved in procurement and movement of arms and ammunition for BH and other criminal organisations had links with the military.

“It was thus apparent that terrorism and insurgency in the North-east, North-west and North-central were a criminal enterprise and were largely undertaken with profit rather than any ideology, as the primary motive.

“Thus, we, at the BOI arrived at the obvious conclusion that progress cannot be achieved except the financiers, collaborators, supporters and the leadership of the terrorists and insurgents groups are identified and the network dismantled.”

The petitioner said recommendations on the findings were made and submitted to the presidency, adding that the operation successfully infiltrated the leadership of terror groups in the North-east, which culminated in their decimation.

Maintaining that key terrorism financiers, were linked to the individuals convicted for terror financing in UAE, the petitioner said trouble started when the Task Force became “victims of unfair attacks” including starvation of funding for its operations.

“This substantiates the argument that some powerful persons in and outside government as well as from the military were uncomfortable with the task force and specifically my humble self as commander,” he said.

The petitioner, who said the death of Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, under whose tenure he served as GOC, dealt a blow to the task force as the new army chief, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, removed him as GOC 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna, noted that subsequently, the Presidency, and the AGF became “less helpful”.

According to him, the entire episode culminated in his arrest, detention for 64 days in solitary confinement, where he slept on the floor with consequent health implications.

He lamented that the most painful part of his experience was that President Buhari, who approved his headship of the taskforce did not come to his rescue.

He, therefore, sought the intervention of President Tinubu on the matter and prayed the president to “kindly cause an investigation into the circumstances surrounding my arrest, detention, maltreatment and compulsory retirement from the Nigerian Army.”

He also sought a review of his compulsory retirement from the army and commute it to voluntary retirement as well as approve compensation for the expenditure incured by the taskforce in hiring of vehicle and quarters.

Ali-Keffi further sought compensation for the pains and injuries suffered while incarcerated and the approval of personal security for his safety –– Culled from ThisDay Newspaper