She was released last week alongside Malama Zara, wife of slain leader of the group, Mohammed Yusuf, and seven other wives of top commanders of the Boko Haram sect who have been in detention for months.
Also released are three children of
Shekau as well as 13 others who were arrested alongside their mothers in
various locations in Yobe State, the source said.
The detainees were handed over to the
Yobe State government which in turn handed them over to the Borno State
government. They were later reconnected with their families in a brief
ceremony which took place at the executive chambers of the deputy
governor of Borno State, Zanna Umar Mustapha.
The women and children, who were
brought to Maiduguri by Barrister Aliyu Shehu, the special adviser to
the Yobe State governor and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Asma ‘u
Kolo, we’re received by Borno Attorney-General and Commissioner for
Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu, and other top government functionaries on
behalf of Governor Kashim Shettima.
Our correspondent gathered that
Shekau’s wife and children were arrested by the JTF in a rented
apartment in Damaturu about 10 months ago.
The house was thoroughly searched and
sophisticated weapons recovered before the building was demolished after
the family was taken into custody, the source said.
Zara was said to have corroborated
this during her remarks before she was released to her family who were
at the government house to receive her.
NE source said she attributed
their travails to Allah and quoted verses of the Holy Quran that says
‘God has reason for everything’. She also confirmed that she and her
children had been in custody for ten months but said they dedicated
their time to prayers and supplications.
Barrister Kaka Shehu who spoke to our
correspondent on the modalities that led to their release said the Yobe
State government had earlier contacted government officials in Borno
State indicating its readiness to release the detainees who were said to
be indigenes of Borno State.
“On the appointed date, the special
adviser to Yobe State governor brought the women and children as well as
a covering letter which was signed by Yobe State Attorney-General,
Barrister Ahmed Goniri. I and some of my fellow commissioners received
them on behalf of our governor who was unavoidably absent,” the justice
commissioner said.
Shehu said apart from identifying names, the letter did not give details about the ladies.
He said the women were told to
reintegrate themselves into the society and also take part in the peace
process initiated by the federal government with active support of the
Borno and Yobe State governments.
The commissioner said the women were
also immediately enrolled into the skill acquisition programme of the
state government while the state Ministry of Women Affairs gave them
five sets of wrappers and 10 yards of brocade for each of the children.
He said the sum of N100, 000 was also approved for each of them.
The commissioner said similar gesture
was extended to the six women and 14 children that were detained in
Borno State but released in the first phase of the amnesty programme.
It was not clear whether the remaining
commanders whose wives were released are alive but our correspondent
gathered that some of the women released had trouble in joining their
families.
A top government source confirmed that
in one of the neighbourhoods in Maiduguri, the family of one of the
released women told her to leave because they were afraid that the
operatives of the JTF will come and arrest them.
“One of the commissioners that were
involved in the release of the women had to intervene and told the
woman’s family not to entertain any fear,” the source said.
Meanwhile, top security source also
told our correspondent that one of the children that were released
during the first exercise was captured with a letter at the Sambisa
forest.
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He's lucky to have his family back. What abt those of us, whose loved ones have their lives cut short and never to return?! Allah Ya isa!
ReplyDeleteSo, Shekau is in a hader time than the remsining Nigerians? No freedom of movements, no freedom of association, no legal wife, no children. A total prisoner than cannot receive visitors.
ReplyDeleteWell,one thing is certain for sure that the abubakar shekua guy will be caught am very positive on that.Is ok to release the wives and the children they can be use as bait so no issue.Mr Mtk
ReplyDelete