July 28, 2013
As JTF continuous the clampdown on Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital, a popular Abuja based lawyer, Barr. Amos Tori and his son were recently held for questioning by the security operatives in connection with activities of the sect.
The popular lawyer, who practised and owned a chamber in Maiduguri for some years, was like most of his colleagues, forced by the insurgency that engulfed the state to relocate to the federal capital for safety reasons.
It was alleged that he usually sneaks into the state capital unnoticed to attend court sessions and other personal issues every fortnight.
DailyPost Correspondent gathered that things turned complicated for the lawyer after his son’s name was mentioned as an accomplice, by an arrested Boko Haram suspect during interrogation by the Volunteer Vigilante Youth Group (VVYG) otherwise known as “Civilian JTF”.
The Boko Haram suspect, who according to sources is a close friend to Barrister Tori’son, was arrested in a house behind Alhaji Mohammed Indimi’s residence along Damboa road.
Sources said he did not deny being a member of the dreaded Sect.
While also claiming to have killed many people both within and outside the state, the suspect also allegedly told his interrogators that he gave Barrister Tori’s son some clothes, money and a gun for safe-keeping.
The ‘Civilian JTF’ swung into action by storming the legal practitioner’s residence in order to effect the arrest of his son but were surprised to meet the main entrance under lock and key.
Enquiries made by the Civilian JTF from neighbours on the whereabouts of the occupants of the house revealed that the embattled lawyer’s son, who was the sole occupant, got wind of their visit and bolted away to Abuja apparently to inform his father of the situation.
A source close to the Tori family who craved for anonymity told newsmen that,”the Civilian JTF were angered by the fact that the lawyer’s son did not surrender himself for questioning which makes them believe he has some skeletons in his cupboard”.
It was gathered that leader of the group that came to arrest the “alleged accomplice” then ordered that the house be broken into and a search conducted immediately.
“They ransacked everywhere in the compound but seemed not satisfied with their findings.
“Ironically, while the father and the son were busy thinking of the next line of action to avert ugly situations, the youths were growing more angry that Barrister Tori was shielding his son from facing the law and continued with their vigilance on the area, hoping to arrest anyone that tried to get into the house”, the source added.
DailyPost source also revealed that some close associates to Barrister Tori told him about the search conducted on his residence by the Civilian JTF and advised that he turned in his son to the security authorities.
It was learnt that both father and son decided to embark on the trip back to Maiduguri and while arriving into the town, they never expected that the civilian JTF were on their trail right from the airport, until they were intercepted some few distance from their home and beaten mercilessly before being handed over to the security operatives for further interrogations.
Efforts by DailyPost correspondent to get the JTF to speak on the matter proved abortive as several visits to the JTF Headquarters at Pompomari bypass to see the JTF Spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa proved futile.
