MR Amos Tori, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, has denied his and his son’s involvement in the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, saying he was neither interrogated nor tortured by the Borno State Volunteer Vigilante Youth Group (VVYG), otherwise known as “Civilian JTF.”
It was widely circulated in the media, last week, that the legal practitioner and his son were arrested by the “Civilian JTF” after an arrested suspected member of the Boko Haram sect had allegedly said in Maiduguri that the son was also a member of the group.
However, speaking with Sunday Tribune in Abuja on Saturday, Mr Tori said he was embarrassed by the report as according to him, neither was his son a member of the sect nor were they ‘mercilessly beaten’ as reported by a section of the media.
He explained further that, contrary to the report that he usually sneaked into Maiduguri, he normally visited the Borno State capital as he had his personal residential building there.
Clearing the air on the alleged involvement of his son in the activities of the sect, he said his son’s name was actually mentioned by some people who were trying to create confusion.
“I was not invited but I voluntarily went to Maiduguri on July 12, 2013 when I heard the rumour that my son’s name was mentioned as a member of the Boko Haram sect. I went to Maiduguri on Arik Airline
“I immediately volunteered to take my son to Maiduguri and I was advised to stop at the Borno State Security Service (SSS) office. But, per adventure, I felt I should get a suitable accommodation and to meet security operators to take us to the SSS office.
“I was not beaten but was rather respected. We all went with the JTF Civilian to the SSS office and my son made a statement. The SSS Command invited the Boko Haram suspect in my presence and in the presence of the commander of the JTF Civilian.”
“They asked the Boko Haram suspect if my son was a member of the sect and he said no and the remaining five officials of the JTF Civilian who were present apologised and said that I should forgive them”, he said.
Claiming that, as a Christian, he had forgiven all those who were involved in the false allegation, Mr Tori claimed that his son’s enemies caused the mix-up by trying to create confusion by mentioning his son’s name as a member of the dreaded sect.
“In order to show their remorse, it was agreed that my son should not go with me but he was taken along with them and showed to the people around the area to prove that the allegation was false.
“After this, about 20 members of the JTF Civilian came to my house in Maiduguri and expressed their appreciation for my forgiveness, promising that such would not happen again and even offered prayers”, he said.
The legal practitioner also admitted that his house had before his visit to Maiduguri been vandalised, saying, “The JTF Civilian was made up of young boys, not only within our area but also within the environment.
“They came to my house at around 2:30am. They entered into my apartment and vandalised my property, pulling down the ceilings and breaking my television but nothing incriminating was found.”
He, however, admonished that the vigilante group was established to help the formal security operators in tracking down Boko Haram members and not to vandalise property or attempt to kill innocent citizens, adding, “If my son had been in the house that day, they could have killed him.”
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