10 Facts About Aisha Wakil, The Only Woman With Access To B’Haram Now Arraigned By EFCC Over N66M Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 arraigned Aisha Wakil, a.k.a. ‘Mama Boko Haram;’ and Tahiru Daura before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.They were charged with “three counts of conspiracy and cheating to the tune of N66m.”
Wakil was reportedly involved in peace talks with Boko Haram insurgents initiated by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
She became known as Mama Boko Haram on account of her links to the terrorist group.
Meanwhile, below are 10 important things you need to know about the mystery lady according to an exclusive interview she granted Pulse NG.
1. Aisha Wakil is from the South-East, precisely, Enugu state.
“What attracted me to embrace Islam is what attracts a fly to perch on a particular place. That is the behaviour – my husband. He is a very wonderful man and so I had to follow him and abide by whatever he wants,” she said.
3. Aisha Wakil studied Law at the University of Maiduguri, Borno state.
4. She currently works with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in Borno state.
5. While growing up, Aisha discovered that she had the ‘gift of mediation.’ She could settle disputes between people, even couples. She is currently into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), an aspect of Law.
6. Aisha Wakil helped to circumcise many members of the sect when they were kids. Her relationship with the sect members earned her the name Mama Boko Haram
7. Aisha Wakil was appointed a member of the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the northern region of Nigeria under the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan.
8. Loved by many in her community, Aisha Wakil has been involved in several efforts aimed at restoring peace to the northeast. One of such was bringing the army and commanders of the sect together during the negotiation period.
9. Aisha has also assisted in the release of some abductees from the Boko Haram sect via phone calls to the leadership. This includes the release of over ’30 Chibok girls.’
“I have released so many people that were kidnapped. I will just call them and say ‘you took my house girl or sister or best friend’ meanwhile I do not know these people and they would be released,” Aisha said.
The prosecution of the duo followed a petition by one Ali Tijjani, Managing Director of AMTMAT Global Ventures, against Complete Care and Aids Foundation, a non-governmental organisation run by the defendants.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, explained in a statement that the petitioner alleged that on September 7, 2018, Complete Care and Aids Foundation awarded his company a contract to supply processed maize grain, referred to as biski and worth N15m, which Wakil received on behalf of the foundation.
Tijjani said his company, upon the request of the defendants, also processed and funded their trip to Morocco to the tune of N51m, a cost they allegedly refused to defray.
Count two of the charge read, “That you Tahiru Saidu Daura, while being a programme manager of Complete Care and Aid Foundation; and Aisha Wakil, being the CEO of Complete Care and Aid Foundation on the 7th September, 2018, in Maiduguri within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly induced Ali Tijjani, the CEO and alter ego of AMTMAT Global Ventures, to deliver to you processed maize grains (biski) valued at N15m which you are yet to pay and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(a) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges and the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad, applied for a trial date and for the remand of the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the determination of the case.
However, counsels for the defendants, H. Waziri and B. Zanna, made oral bail applications for the defendants on the ground of the administrative bail earlier granted to them by the EFCC.
Justice Kumaliya granted them bail in the sum of N30m with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be at the level of a permanent secretary in the civil service with a landed property in Maiduguri GRA.
The surety must also submit the title document of the property to the registry of the court.
The statement read, “The judge further declared that the bail will be revoked on the failure of the defendants to attend the trial. She adjourned the matter till January 13, 2020 for the commencement of trial.”