The Department of State Services said on Saturday that it had discovered cells being operated by members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect around the vicinity of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
A statement signed by the spokesperson for the DSS, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Abuja, said members of the sect had migrated from the North-East geo political zone of the country with the aim of causing havoc in Abuja during the forthcoming end-of-the-year activities.
Opuiyo said, “This is to inform the general public that the Boko Haram terrorist group has continued to establish and operate sleeper cells whose mandates are to conduct surveillance and carry out subsequent attacks in the FCT.
“This disclosure has become necessary following the arrests of the sect’s members who migrated from various conflict theatres in the North-East to the FCT in order to enable them capitalise on the excitement of the yuletide season to launch attacks in the city.”
He gave instances of the several arrests of members of the sect that had been made in and around Abuja by the DSS to buttress his point.
For instance, on October 29, he said Muhammed Idris (a Nigerien) and Baba Abdul Maina were arrested at Panteka area of Apo, Abuja.
This, he said, was followed by the arrest of Sanni Mohammed (aka Kakase) and Ahmed Umaru (aka Mallam; Hamdi Garne; Ahmed Daubi) in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He said Sanni, who hails from Potiskum, Yobe State, fled the area following his involvement in coordinated suicide attacks in Yobe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna states.
In a related development, he said on November 19, Mohammed Abubakar and Musa Ta’ada were arrested at Shoprite Junction, Apo, Abuja.
Abubakar, who hails from Borno State and operates as a taxi driver in Abuja, is said to be of an unknown address but claims that he sleeps in his Volkswagen Golf car at the Honda line, Apo mechanic village, Abuja.
The Gwoza-born Ta’ada also operates under the cover of a suya seller at Apo Primary School along Kabusa Road, Abuja.
Still, on November 23, one Ahmed Hassan was arrested while he was said to be carrying out surveillance on a high-profile hotel in the city.
The suspect, who hails from Katagum, Bauchi State, was said to have admitted using the cover of a beggar to sustain surveillance on his targets.
Bulama Ali, had previously been arrested in Karu, Nasarawa State, on November 22.
Opuiyo added that on December 1, one Hassan Abubakar and Mohammed Mohammed were arrested at Madalla, in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State following intelligence that they were planning to commence attacks in the FCT after a successful surveillance of the city.
He said before his arrest, Abubakar was allegedly working with other sect members in different parts of the country notably Borno, Yobe, Taraba and Adamawa States.
“Abubakar was arrested in the house of Mohammed Gwale who claims to be a Federal Civil Servant from Niger State. He (Gwale) has made useful statements which are helping with further investigation,” Opuiyo added.
So far, he said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects and others still at large might have adopted their respective trades as plausible covers to infiltrate the city and its environs in their bid to conduct successful surveillance and map out soft targets for the sect’s attacks.
He said DSS personnel were determined at pre-empting any attacks by the terrorist elements against the backdrop of the upcoming festive period and beyond.
He said, “It is in this regard that the Service wishes to advise residents and all law abiding Nigerians to remain vigilant especially at this yuletide season and promptly report to security agencies any suspicious movements and persons in the FCT and even other parts of the country.”
Tags
Society