Southwest
20 feared dead in Kano
bombings
Forty - two suspected Boko Haram
members were paraded
yesterday by the Army in Lagos .
They were arrested in various
parts of Lagos and Ogun states ,
after fleeing the military
intervention in some parts of the
North . The suspects were
arrested between July 12 and 23.
Parading the suspects at the
headquarters of the 81 Division,
the General Officer Commanding
( GOC ), Gen. Obi Umahi, said they
were seized during raids done in
conjunction with intelligence
operatives following plans by the
sect to unleash terror in parts of
the Southwest.
One of the suspects , Ibrahim
Abubakar Bori, said they took part
in several major operations in
Borno State , where several
military personnel and civilians
have been killed since the
insurgency started in 2009.
" We were involved in several
major operations in Maiduguri,
where several security agents and
civilians were killed .
" I and some others here were
recruited by Mallam Hassan
Ibrahim. "
Ibrahim, 22, admitted recruiting
some of the suspects and
disclosed that he went with
Ibrahim Ismaili and Alhaji Black to
kill a soldier and a man described
as Buka.
He said: " We rode in a tricycle
and it was Alhaji Black that pulled
the trigger.
" I met both Ismaili and Alhaji
Black in Lagos, while I was riding
Okada . We all went to Maiduguri,
where we carried out some
operations . "
However , some of the suspects
denied being terrorists , alleging
that they had been in Lagos for
many years .
Black , who was indicted by
Ismaili , said he had been staying
in Lagos for about five years ,
riding Okada (commercial
motorcycle ) .
He said the army came to Kirikiri
to arrest some suspects and he
was taken along with them .
The Army said the raids were
conducted at Ibafo trailer park
and Ileke new trailer garage in
Ogun State ; Aviation Quarters at
Mafoluku , Oshodi; Ketu / Mile 2
Motor Park ; Orile Trailer Park ;
Lekki new extension and Bar
Beach , which are fast becoming
Boko Haram terrorist enclaves .
Gen . Umahi said the suspects,
who were arrested at various
intervals , gave information that
led to the arrest of others .
The GOC reiterated security
agencies ' determination to rid
Nigeria of terrorists , adding that
the suspects would be handed
over to security agencies.
Gen . Umahi, however , refused to
disclose if weapons were
recovered during the raids .
He said: " In response to
intelligence report on the influx
of Boko Haram terrorist elements
into Lagos and Ogun states, 81
Division headquarters organised
and conducted raids with
intelligence operatives in these
states between July 12 and 23.
" The Boko Haram trickling influx is
adduced to their plan to unleash
terror in some parts of the
Southwest .
" During interrogation , they
confessed to have participated in
various major terrorist attacks in
the North , especially Maiduguri ,
where majority of the suspects
fled from .
" We are bent on ensuring that
Lagos and its environs remain
safe for Nigerians and will not
hesitate to fish out criminals,"
Gen . Umahi said.
Security agents March 14, raided
Ijora Badia, Lagos following
intelligence reports , which led to
the arrest of over 14 suspected
Boko Haram members.
The suspects were said to have
disclosed during interrogation ,
their planned massive attacks on
Lagos , with designated 16
landmarks slated for
simultaneous bomb blasts .
That foiled attack was the second
in March. No fewer than three
suspected Shiite sect members
were arrested in Illorin, the
Kwara State capital in February,
with the allegation that they had
plans to bomb Israeli and
America ' s interest in Lagos .
The group allegedly planned
attacks on the Lagos offices of the
U .S . Agency for International
Development ; the Haifa- based
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services
Limited and the Jewish Cultural
Centre.
Also in June, the army said it
arrested about 15 Boko Haram
suspects at various parts of the
metropolis, with most of them
arrested at Ijora Badia and
Kotankowa areas between
February and May , who were
handed over to security agencies .
Sophisticated weapons were
recovered including explosives
and remote controls during the
previous raids
The vehicles that were to be used
to transport the bombs to their
designated places were also
among other items recovered
during the raid .
When the Presidential Committee
on Dialogue and Peaceful
Resolution of Security , visited
Lagos , it emerged that about 104
Boko Haram members arrested in
the Northern part of the country ,
were being detained in Lagos
prisons .
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