Boko Haram Shekau's Wife, Others Released

Maiduguri - According to sources
privy to the Federal Government's
Dialogue and Amnesty Committee,
Hassana Yakubu, the wife of the
wanted leader of the Boko Haram
Abubakar Shekau, was last week
released by the Joint Task Force
(JTF).
Reportedly, she was released
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, according to the sources.
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.
It has been 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.
A source disclosed 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 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
revealed that one of the children that
were released during the first
exercise was captured with a letter at
the Sambisa forest.