In 2014, Yeri Kambari, a Borno farmer left his home in search of a greener pasture, but he was unjustly arrested by Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a counter-insurgency local vigilante group supporting the military in the fight against Boko Haram jihadists.
The vigilantes claimed he is a member of the deadly Boko Haram insurgents.
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His sister, Ya Kodo Kambari who was featured in the 84th episode of Burbushin Rikici, a weekly podcast produced by HumAngle, said her brother left home in Konduga local council, a war-turn area, to farm in nearby village of Kayamari but shortly after his return, he was taken by the vigilantes and never returned. She had not heard about him since then.
With the thought of succour to his family, Yeri left home and settled in Kayamari, where a friend gave him land to farm but a year after his return, the 40-year-old father of two was taken to Giwa Barracks, a military detention in Maiduguri by the CJTF for allegedly abetting the kidnapping of two granddaughters of an old man in Kayamari.
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“Yeri lived with his godfather, Nura in Kayamari,” Ya Kodo recalled. “There was an old man who also lived there but came back. Boko Haram members kidnapped his two granddaughters and he suspect that Nura and Yeri were behind it, claiming they showed them his house. That is why the CJTF came and invited him.”
Ever since he was invited by the Civilian Task Force, Yeri was taken to Giwa Barrack where they kept suspected Boko Haram members.
“Yeri had two children, Alhaji Modu and Hajiya Aisata and his wife Ya Zainab Kambari. We recently married off his daughter,” Ya Kodo continued. “I felt sad because his family members were devastated. His wife has left her matrimonial house. My relatives were the ones who took the upkeep of the children but they are in a sympathetic situation. I want the government to release my brother.”
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With the hope of seeing him again, his family trooped in whenever they heard that prisoners were released from the barracks but whenever that happened, they would not Yeri among them.
“People used to go there to see if he is among those freed, but most times I don’t used to follow them, they will go and come back, saying they didn’t see him.
“Injustice has been done, he was arrested and never tried for any offence,” she said.
