The State Security Service has summoned a serving Senator,
Ahmed Zanna, over his alleged involvement with the violent Islamic sect, Boko
Haram.
The summons is in connection with the arrest last week of a
suspected member of the group, Shuaibu Bama, in a house believed to be the
senator’s.
The Joint Task Force had arrested Bama in the building along
Damboa Road in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, last Friday after soldiers
stormed the House.
The JTF had claimed that Bama was one of the commanders of the
sect, who had been under watch.
Zanna, who represents Borno-Central Senatorial District,
confirmed the summons to newsmen on Sunday.
He admitted being aware of a text message from the
Director-General of the SSS, Mr. Ekpenyong Ita, inviting him to the SSS
headquarters on Monday (today).
Zanna stated that since the incident occurred he had not been
contacted by security agencies until Sunday.
“Since my house was searched and the JTF made the announcement,
I have not been contacted by security agencies.
“But it was only this morning (Sunday), I saw a text that the
SSS DG will want to see me on Monday. I will honour the invitation”, he
said.
The senator denied that Bama had any links with the sect,
though he admitted that he was his sister’s son.
He described Bama as a “drug addict”, who frequently threatened
to kill members of his family.
He claimed that due to his behaviour, he had to send him out of
his house, but could not explain how he found his way back to his house last
week.
The senator also claimed that Bama was arrested in the house of
a former governor of the state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, contrary to the report
by the JTF.
When asked why the JTF linked Bama with him instead of Sheriff,
the senator responded that it was a frame-up to pay him back for constantly
attacking the JTF in the media.
He said, “Contrary to the claim of the JTF, the boy was
arrested in Rabi Street, off Damboa Road. And the house belongs to Senator Ali
Modu Sheriff.
“Before, the house belonged to one Abba Mala, a Cameroonian.
And later he sold it to the late Tijjani Banki and Sheriff bought from Tijjani
Banki.
“I reacted because they said they arrested the boy in the house
of a serving Senator along Damboa Road and I am the one living along Damboa
road.
“I really do not understand why they did all this. I am
confused. If they want to frame me up, they have failed in that one because they
did not get that boy in my house.
“I have nothing to do with it. Let them go and ask the person
where the boy was staying. So, they should not have mentioned my house.
“Yes, he is my sister’s son. As for his behaviour, he is a drug
addict. He beats up my children, he abuses my friends.
“He came to my house, so I sent him away. That was about almost
a year ago. And for whatever reason I don’t know, he came to my house last week
and I told my wife that he should leave the house
