Security expert warns on importance of background Checks…as 27-year old B’Haram Terrorist who served as Guard in Lagos is Sentenced

A security expert, Major Ade Olawuyi (rtd) has warned Lagos residents on need for proper background screening before engaging the services of any security guard.

Major Adewuyi gave this advice in an exclusive chat with Newsclickng; just as the Federal High Court, sitting in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger State, on Thursday sentenced an erstwhile security in Lagos, Babagana Ali to 25 years imprisonment for his links with Boko Hara sects.

According to the security expert, residents of Lagos and businesses who require the services of guards should patronize registered and known security outfits; but where they had to resort to undocumented maigaids, they seek out experts for thorough screening and background check, so they do not end up putting in their homes office premises, hardened and confirmed terrorist.

Meanwhile The 27-year old according to the Prosecution, is said to have participated in Boko Haram’s attacks in different communities in Borno State in 2015.

While pleading guilty to the three counts of terrorism preferred against him at the court upon his arraignment, the suspects, it was disclosed had escaped to Lagos from Boko Haram camp in 2013 and was said to have taken up a job as a security guard in Ikoyi, while hawking recharge card.

Upon his return to Maiduguri, Borno State as peace returns in 2015, he was arrested by the Civilian Joint Task Force. Born and brought up in Banki town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, Ali was said to have been introduced into the sect by his father, Abubakar Baluye who was later killed for allegedly revealing secret information of the group.

“The defendant escaped to Lagos and stayed within Ikoyi where he was selling recharge cards and working as a security guard,” the prosecuting counsel said.

Ali confessed that while being an active member of the sect, he handled different types of rifles and also participated in several attacks of the sect at Gamboru, Nagala, Baga, Dikwa, Banki and Njimtilo; while admitting to have killed many people whose number he could not remember during the attacks.

The judge subsequently sentenced him to different prison terms: 15 years for professing to be a member of Boko Haram; 25 years for participating in the attacks of the sect and seven years for withholding information about the sect to security authority. All the sentences are to run concurrently.