By Abba Gwale
Senator Ali Ndume, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, has called on the Buhari led-Administration to expose over 400 Bureau De Change operators recently arrested for allegedly funding the activities of Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
During his interview with newsmen, Ndume, who is representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, also demanded an open trial of all the suspects.
Recall that last month, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the Nigerian Government had arrested some Bureau De Change operators who were facilitating the transfer of money to Boko Haram terrorists.
Garba Shehu also lamented that some Nigerians transferring money to the sect from the United Arab Emirates were working with the BDC operators.
But Ndume, demanded that Nigerians deserve to know what the government was doing concerning the suspects.
“The Presidency said recently that Nigerians would be shocked if it revealed the identities of those who are sponsoring the Boko Haram insurgents.
“Can you imagine that 400 Bureau De Change operators are the people funding the Boko Haram?
“When the BDC operators are arrested now, what will the government do with them? The presidency is already saying their case is confidential. What is confidential about it?,” Ndume lamented.
He however said “The presidency should expose the identities of all 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 face 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 act linked to anybody. No matter how highly placed, let the evidence be placed before the public, there should be no secret trial,” he added.
He said nowadays, criminals are arrested and paraded without further action saying that nobody knows what happens to the people who killed 11 soldiers in Benue State recently.
Ndume’s Senatorial district is currently under the siege of the Boko Haram terrorists, in Yobe State.
