Operatives vow to frustrate sect’s activities
Detectives have arrested 19 suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Lagos, Enugu, Plateau, Kano and Gombe states.
The suspects were some of the commanders and frontline members of the sect who had played active roles in its bloody campaign, particularly in the Northeastern.
The suspects, who were arrested between July 8 and August 24, included those that coordinated and executed suicide attacks in Potiskum, Kano, Zaria and Jos.
The Department of State Service (DSS) broke the news yesterday in a statement signed by its spokesman Tony Opiuyo.
One of the suspects, Usman Shuaibu (a.k.a Money), revealed that he coordinated the attacks with N500,000 which was provided by his Amir, Isa Ali, the DSS said.
“Shuaibu claimed that the said Isa Ali has links to the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, from where he collects monies to fund operations undertaken by their Markaz.
“Also, he revealed that he has participated in several Boko Haram attacks, including the attacks at Gwoza Divisional Police Station in 2014.
“Shuabu also admitted being the leader of the team of nine sect members that was dispatched from Sambisa Forest to carry out the attacks. He disclosed that four out of the nine of them were used as suicide bombers in executing all the suicide attacks,” the statement added.
Another suspect, Ahmed Mohammed (a.k.a Abubakar) who the Service described as an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert, confessed to having prepared the IEDs used for most of the suicide attacks in the Northeast.
He was also quoted by the DSS to have confessed that he prepared the IED strapped to the vests worn by a suicide bomber and his wives which they used in the recent Jos attacks.
Also in the net is Adamu Abdullahi (aka Babpa) who was said to have confessed that Usman Shuaibu motivated him to work closely with Ahmed Mohammed (aka Abubakar) in the preparation of the IEDs used in the said attacks.
Another of the suspects, Ibrahim Isa, reportedly confessed that he carried out reconnaissance on the targets in Jos ahead of the attacks.
Muttaqa Yusuf (aka Mohammed Sani/Mudtaka) was said to have named Aliyu, who is believed to be the notorious Aliyu Gombe of Sambisa forest, as the one who ordered the serial attacks which the syndicate carried out at various locations in the Northeastern part of the country.
He was said to have confessed that he assisted Shuabu in planning and executing the said attacks.
Other suspects arrested in various parts of Lagos include: Bakura Modu, Mustapha Alli Jamneri, Abuyi Sherriff, Babangida Ali, Babangida Koloye, Abba Modu Sagma and Grema Abubakar, Tijani Bagudu, Baba Alhaji and Abbas Ibrahim, Adam Wakil Abdul Jilbe and Mohammed Usman.
Ibrahim Audu was arrested in Enugu; Ibrahim Haruna was arrested in Gombe, Mal Ali Mohamodu was arrested in Kano.
The DSS said the terrorists have decided to spread to other parts of the country as a result of the pressure being put on them in their core areas of strength in the Northeast.
“Nigerians and indeed the general public have to note that the arrest of Usman Shuaibu (Money) and the core members of his cell, stemmed the spate of bombings by the extremist sect.
“Money and his group were arrested on their way to Bauchi State where they had planned to execute another heart-rending bomb attack and this was frustrated by the arrest.
“Furthermore, the sudden influx of Boko Haram members into Lagos State points to the determination of the sect to extend its nefarious terrorist activities to the state and, in fact, other parts of the country.
“The arrest of these confessed terrorist elements has, however, helped in no small measure to avert devastating attacks in the area. However, the Service is making efforts to conclude its investigations and commence prosecution of the suspects.”
“Drawing from the above, the DSS reiterates its avowed determination to work with other stakeholders in the fight against terror and other forms of criminality in our country.
“Citizens and residents are, therefore, called upon to rise to the occasion by volunteering useful information to the Service and other relevant security agencies,” the DSS stated.
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