Boko Haram: Father Says The Suspect Is Mentally Derailed

Left:  The spokesman of the Boko Haram Sect and former member of ECOMOG in Borno, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (a.k.a Usman Alzawahiri). Right: Suspected Sponsor of Boko Haram and Serving Senator at National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume.

The investigations by State Security Service (SSS) into the alleged complicity of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and the activities of the Boko Haram in Nigeria, took a new form, as one Alhaji Sanda Konduga, who claimed to be the father of one of the suspects, Ali Sanda Konduga, says that his son is mentally derailed.

The SSS had based its arrest of Ndume on the confessions of the suspect. The SSS, yesterday, rose in defense of its actions, insisting that its investigations would continue and that it would not be manipulated.

The press released by the said Alhaji Sanda Konduga on December 1, 2011, in Abuja, reads:

From Right, Suspected Financier of Boko Haram and Serving Senator at National Assembly Abuja, Senator Ali Ndume and The acclaimed spokesman of the Boko Haram Sect and former member of Political thug, ECOMOG in Borno State, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, a.k.a Usman Alzawahiri Convicted by Court after pleaded guilty of the charges against hin in Court at Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

“I and my family received with deep shock, the news of the arrest of my son Ali Sanda Konduga,his arraignment and subsequent conviction on the 22nd November, 2011 by an Abuja Magistrate Court.

“Ordinarily, we thought he will face a trial with counsel representation, for us to explain the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his mental health. Ali Sanda Konduga since his childhood has faced mental challenges. It is unfortunate that we now find ourselves in this situation. We shall therefore appeal against this judgement.

“We want to seize this opportunity to apologise to Sen. Ali Ndume, Late Amb. Saidu Pindar’s family and the entire elders of Borno State for the pain and embarrassment caused on account of the purported claims of my son. We plead for understanding of all as we strive to ensure the review of his unfortunate and improper conviction without a counsel representation”.

But the Department of State Service, in its response to this statement signed by Marilyn Ogar, Deputy Director, Public Relations, and titled NIGERIANS ARE NOT FOOLS reads:

“Since November 3, 2011 that the “son” was picked up, why has the so-called father not visited him atleast once to show that fatherly love and concerns? At what point did the “son” become insane? After he, as spokesman, had announced Boko Haram’s owning up to the bombings of Police Headquarters and the UN House? He did not come out then to tell Nigerians to discountenance the “son’s” claims because he was “insane”. A former GNPP leader in a legislative house , as the so-called father claims, addressed a press conference in an Abuja hotel in impeccable English but could not train the “son” to answer questions both at a press conference and at court in English.

“When Ali Konduga  appeared in court the three lawyers that represented him and Senator Ali Ndume were neither SSS lawyers nor hired for them by the Service. It is on record that these counsel put up spirited defence of their clients throughout the court session. As the second accused, he voluntarily pleaded guilty, and at the court’s prompting for clarity, he repeated the guilty plea twice. So what is this “father” talking about access to independent counsel? Nigerians are not fools. They know where this is coming from”.

Meanwhile, Ndume has gone to court to challenge his continued detention by the SSS.

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