Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno State yesterday confirmed the arrest of Aliyu Muhammed, a 24 year-old suspected Boko Haram Improvised Explosive Device (IED) logistics supplier in Maiduguri, the capital of the state.
The NSCDC commandant, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview in Maiduguri. He said that the suspect was nabbed by men of the command on April 25, following intelligence report while he was on his way to supply bomb materials to Boko Haram terrorists.
Abdullahi said that preliminary investigation conducted by the command revealed that the suspect supplied mobile phones battery, wristwatches and laptop computers used for setting off IEDs designed to inflict massive casualties.
He said: “The suspect, who pretends to be a tricycle operator in the town, has executed many missions for the insurgents.
“He also operates several bank accounts, where he receives funds for Boko Haram in the last six months.
“He usually receives large sums of money from the Republic of Chad, through a third party account number to avoid being detected.
“We have so far tracked dozens of his transactions, especially at commercial money transfer centers within Maiduguri.”
The NSCDC commandant said Mohammed and his colleagues have played different roles in masterminding various attacks, in worship centres and market places in Maiduguri and environs.
Abdullahi reiterated the commitment of the command towards complimenting efforts of the army, police and other sister agencies in the counter terrorism campaign in the Northeast.
“The command had within the past two years arrest more than 25 Boko Haram insurgents, comprising of female suicide bombers, commanders and collaborators in Maiduguri.
“The command had, through the dispute resolution department encouraged more than 40 terrorist to lay down their arms, and they accepted meaningful rehabilitation and reintegration through the Operation Safe Corridor window opportunity provided by the government,” he said.
He added that the suspect would be handed over to the 7 Division Garison of the army for further interrogation and profiling.
Police rescue 20 from ritualists’ den in Oyo
Oyo State Police Command has evacuated no fewer than 20 persons from a shrine allegedly serving as a den for ritualists at Agungun area of Ibadan, the capital of the state.
The discovery, which attracted scores of residents to the scene, was made by officers of the Agungun police station, Ibadan following intelligence report.
The inmates, many of who were looking skinny and malnourished, have been successfully rescued and were in the custody of the police.
The owner and operator of the shrine, Alfa, as he is fondly called, has been arrested and detained by the police for questioning.
According to some of the residents, Alfa, who claimed to be a spiritualist and a healer, has been operating the shrine for many years with suspicion and dread.
They described the shrine as a den of ritualists and kidnappers, where unsuspecting victims were kept for ritual purposes.
Police public relations officer, Gbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the arrest of the operator of the shrine and evacuation of the inmates by the police.
Fadeyi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), further stated that the truth about whether the shrine is a den for ritualists and kidnappers was yet to be determined until the police concluded investigation into the matter.
He said: “I can confirm that there was arrest of the owner of the shrine where many inmates were recovered. But, some people came later to the police station to say they were the ones who gave their children to the owner of the shrine, who they also claimed to be a spiritualist.
“In fact, some of those recovered from the shrine had issues. Some behave like drug addicts; some appeared mentally challenged and so on. But what the police want to do is to embark on thorough investigation into the matter and come up with a report.”
