Di kontrovesi over alleged link between influencial Nigerians and armed groups for North don take new turn as one man wey identify as Hassan explain how im childhood relationship with notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide allegedly give am unusual access to people inside Gide circle.
Hassan, wey im allegations against one senator from North don go viral for social media, tok say im closeness to Gide no be because im involve for any criminal activity, but e come from dia childhood, when dey both live for same community and na friends.
Di senator don deny di allegations linking am to banditry. Im challenge Hassan to produce evidence before appropriate security agencies. According to di lawmaker, dem don submit complaints to security authorities over di allegations, and investigation don result for arrest, with di matter now before court.
Narrating im story, Hassan tok say afta im later relocate from North go Rivers State, where im say dem raise am and im get formal education, Gide remain for di community and eventually enter banditry. Hassan claim say di childhood connection become important years later when im encounter Gide again for circumstances wey relate to im work at di residence of di lawmaker.
Hassan allege say im education help am to observe and document activities around di senator residence wey im consider suspicious. Im claim say im subsequently begin to secretly record and preserve information wey im believe fit expose individuals wey allegedly connect to criminal activities.
Di man further claim say im familiarity with Gide and oda people wey allegedly dey involve for banditry partially na because im don know some of dem before dem enter criminal life. “I know Dogo Gide well because we grow up for same community and na childhood friends,” Hassan tok, according to di interview wey don circulate widely online.
Im allege say Gide no get much formal education and no fit operate mobile phone well, situation wey Hassan claim im use to obtain recordings, wey im later store for memory card. Hassan further allege say im activities eventually dem discover for di senator residence, and dis result to alleged order to kill am. Im claim say Gide, despite dia different paths, secretly warn am of di alleged plan, wey make am escape.
Hassan say im eventually flee Nigeria, carry materials wey im claim contain evidence of activities wey im witness. Im add say some of di materials lost during im escape.
But di senator don strongly reject di allegations. For interview with radio station, di lawmaker say im relationship with Hassan begin when dem introduce Hassan to im foundation as orphan wey dey seek assistance for im education. Im say im support Hassan schooling and also help am to get access to both conventional and Islamic education.
According to am, im later become concern when Hassan decide to stop im education and pursue car dealing. Di senator also allege say Hassan secretly take photographs and record videos of people wey dey visit im residence before dia relationship deteriorate.
Im deny allegations linking am to banditry and challenge Hassan to produce evidence before appropriate security agencies. Im say dem don submit complaints to security authorities and investigation don result for arrest, with matter now before court.
Di latest kontrovesy follow Hassan wey identify di senator as di politician wey im previously accuse without naming. For im widely circulated interview, Hassan also allege say individuals wey connect to Gide dem bring to Abuja, and im link di development to people around di senator. Those claims no get independent verification.
Gide, however, no be new name for Nigeria security landscape. Vanguard report for May 2021 say one bandit leader wey dem popular know as Mallam Dogo Gide na among leaders of bandit groups wey dey operate for parts of Niger and Kaduna states. For October 2023, Nigeria Police also report say one suspect, wey dem arrest over abduction of students of Federal Government College, Yauri, confess say im participate for di operation alongside Kachala Dogo Gide, wey police describe as gang leader wey lead about 100 men during di raid.
Di renewed allegations don raise questions over wetin extent criminal networks fit interact with people outside dia immediate operational circles, particularly for communities where longstanding social and family relationships dey. But while Hassan don continue to make allegations and circulate purported evidence, available reports indicate say di claims against di senator no establish by court.
Di lawmaker maintain say di allegations na to damage im reputation and political career, insisting say Hassan suppose submit whatever evidence im get to security agencies for proper investigation. Di kontrovesy therefore leave two competing accounts: Hassan claim say im childhood familiarity with Dogo Gide and im subsequent experiences give am knowledge of alleged network around influencial figures, and di senator position say Hassan na beneficiary of im educational support wey later turn against am.
