Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo
From Ike Abonyi in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Two days after he received former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in Maiduguri to broker peace over the bombing attacks by Boko Haram, the terrorist group yesterday killed Babakura Fugu, the in-law of the slain leader of the Islamic fundamentalist group, Mohammed Yusuf.
Fugu, 48, was also the eldest son of Alhaji Baba Fugu, father in-law of the late Yusuf, who was equally killed in 2009.
He was reportedly shot dead at 1.30 pm at his Maiduguri Railway Quarters residence where he met with Obasanjo, who visited the family with the aim of opening dialogue between the group and the federal government.
Obasanjo, who spent over one hour with the family, pleaded with them to end killing sprees and give peace a chance.
He told the family that his peace mission was a private initiative and urged it to give him a chance to mediate between the family and government.
In response to Obasanjo’s initiative, Fugu acknowledged that since 2009, that was the first time any high ranking figure in the country had commiserated with the family.
“We are happy with this visit. About 30 to 40 percent of our members are scattered in neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroun,” he admitted.
It was gathered that during Obasanjo’s visit, the terrorist group, as part of its terms for truce, demanded compensation for its losses, prosecution of Yusuf’s killers, and that all its members detained over the spate of terrorist attacks that had claimed hundreds of lives be released.
Although details of how Fugu was killed were sketchy yesterday, security sources said one of the assassins was his younger brother, whose name could not ascertain yet.
According to residents of the area, they just heard gunshots from the deceased’s house and subsequently cries and shouting from the vicinity.
Sources said Boko Haram members felt he should not have spoken on their behalf even though he was related to their late leader. it was also learnt that the monetary gift to the family by the former president could also have precipitated the assassination.
"Normally, any money they get either through gifts or bank robberies is shared into five places: widows of Boko Haram, less privileged members of the sect, Sukrah— the highest ruling organ of Boko Haram— and members who robbed or got the money.
“This time around, Fugu did not observe the formula," one of the sources said.
However, it was learnt that the money was meant for the family, not for Boko Haram.
Boko Haram, in a text message to the BBC’s Hausa radio service, claimed responsibility for Fuga’s murder.
Borno State Police Commissioner, Simeon Midenda, confirmed the killing, saying he received the report of the incident at about 2.35 pm yesterday.
He said he was told that a gunman in flowing robes walked to Fugu’s residence, and pulled out a Kalashnikov rifle to shoot and killed him on the spot.
He also confirmed that the killing could be linked to last Thursday’s visit to the family by Obasanjo.
Midenda said: “On receiving the reports of the killing, I directed the commander of police of the area to move in quickly into the Railway Quarters and investigate and report back to me for further investigations on what led to the attack and killing of Babakura.”
He, however, said four hours after reports of the killing, no arrests had been made either by the police or by the Joint Task Force in Maiduguri.
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