suspects allegedly linked to the April 14 bombing at Nyanya on the outskirts of
the Federal Capital Territory in which over 75 persons were killed and more
than 100 injured.
Also yesterday, the DSS placed a N25 million reward on two fleeing suspects,
Rufai Abubakar Tsiga and Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, who were alleged to have
masterminded the attack.
Disclosing this at a joint briefing held at the headquarters of the security
agency, its spokesperson, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, said Tsiga, assisted by Ogwuche,
drove the explosive laden car to the scene of the blast a day to the incident.
Tsiga was said to have left the car at the Nyanyan bus station and went back
to detonate the explosives early in the morning of April 14.
The DSS spokesperson said Tsiga ran a patent medicine kiosk as a decoy at
Utako in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from where he allegedly recruited
other sect members who disguised as his apprentices.
Ogwuche was described as a British born Nigerian from Benue State who was
in November 2011 arrested at the Abuja airport on his arrival from the United
Kingdom, in connection with terrorism.
Ogar, however, said the suspect was released on bail to his father, Col. Agene
Ogwuche (rtd), in October 2012, following intense pressure from the human
rights community who alleged violation of his human rights.
The DSS spokesperson added that Ogwuche deserted the Nigerian Army in
2006 after serving in the Intelligence Unit at the Arakan Barracks, Lagos.
He was said to have absconded when he was posted to the Nigerian Defence
Academy, , Kaduna, in 2006. Ogar gave his service number as SVC 95/104.
Ogwuche is said to be studying Arabic Language at the International University
of Africa, Sudan.
Ogar pledged that "Nigerian security forces shall not rest on their oars until
every individual or group of persons involved in the Nyanya bombings are
brought to book."
The other five suspects in the custody of the DSS who were also paraded are:
Ahmad Rufai Abubakar (43); Muhammadu Sani Ishaq (30); Yau Saidu (28);
Adamu Yusuf (43); and Anas Isah (22).
They all confessed to having played various roles in preparations before the
bombing of the Abuja bus station.
Before bringing out the five suspects to be photographed and questioned by
reporters, Ogar said the suspects were told the bombing was in retaliation for
the killing of a Boko Haram member the week before at the bus station.
She added that no member of the sect was killed.
But she revealed that lower level Boko Haram militants were still hiding in
Abuja.
"Terrorist elements are disguising daily by taking up various businesses and
menial jobs in Abuja and its environs. Therefore, security awareness of the
public and prompt response to information sharing will continue to play a
pivotal role in the war on terror," said Ogar.
Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in five years of insurgency, in
attacks on churches, mosques, schools, markets, villages and the government.
Also at yesterday's briefing were: Director of Defence Information Maj.-Gen.
Chris Olukolade; Director of Army Public Relations Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye
and Force Public Relations Officer Mr. Frank Mba.
0 100000:
Post a Comment