Following the arrest of over 400 Bureau De Change operators allegedly funding the activities of Boko Haram insurgency in the country, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, has urged the Nigerian government to release the identities of the suspects.

The senator, whose senatorial district, Borno South Senatorial District, is currently under the siege of the Boko Haram terrorists, has equally demanded an open trial of all the suspects.

Recall that Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, announced the arrest of some Bureau De Change operators who were accused of conniving with some Nigerians to transfer money to the Boko Haram sect from the United Arab Emirates.

“By the time we finish this investigation, the shocking details will surprise many Nigerians.”

The report added that some of the traders were arrested at the foreign exchange open market in Wapa, Fagge Local Government of Kano State in March.

Further investigations revealed that that the suspects are being kept in military and DSS facilities in Abuja and other places.

According to the PUNCH, The closely guarded operation is being coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Ndume, however, believed 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?

“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.

“Nowadays, criminals are arrested and paraded without further action. Nobody knows what happens to the people who killed 11 soldiers in Benue State recently?

“What happened to those who beheaded policemen in Cross River State?

“If everyone is doing what he is supposed to do as defined by our constitution and laws, we would not have these problems. Citizens should expose suspicious movements.”