Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has condemned moves by the Nigerian government processing the secret trial of 400 Bureau De Change operators, who were said to be responsible for funding Boko Haram.
Recently, businessmen of the Bureau De Change, were arrested last week, by security operatives in an operation, coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency, and in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The operations was said to have been approved by the presidency, last year.
Senator Ndume while addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, said: “The presidency said recently that Nigerians would be shocked if it revealed the identities of those who are sponsoring Boko Haram insurgents. Can you imagine 400 BDC operators are the people funding Boko Haram.
“When the BDC operators are arrested, what will the government do with them? The presidency is already saying their case is confidential. What is confidential about it?” the Senator queried.
Ndume, however, persuaded the Nigerian government to expose the identity of the sponsors and those arrested. He said those found guilty should be brought to justice.
He said, “The presidency should expose the identities of the BDC operators so far arrested, and carry out their trial in public. If any of them is innocent, he should be allowed to go, while those found guilty must be made to dance the music.
“When I was wrongly accused, I was tried publicly and I was vindicated. The trial lasted six years in an open court. If there is any criminal activity linked to anybody, no matter how highly placed, let the evidence be placed before the public, there should be no secret trial.
“Nowadays, criminals are arrested without further action. Nobody knows what happened to the people who killed soldiers in Benue state recently; what happened to those who beheaded policemen in Cross Rivers state.
“If everyone is doing what he is supposed to do as defined by our constitution and laws, we would not have these problems. Citizens should expose suspicious movement.”
Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News
