Army arrests 42 Boko Haram suspects in Lagos, Ogun

 

The Nigerian Army yesterday said no fewer than 42 Boko Haram members have been arrested in Lagos and Ogun states.

The Army said the arrest was occasioned by intelligence report from the operational command of the Joint Task Force in Borno State calling on security agencies in the southern part of the country to check influx of some members of the Boko Haram into the area.

According to the Army, members of the sect were arrested around Mafoluku, Alaba Rago, Ijora Badia and the Ibafon areas of Lagos and Ogun States respectively.

The General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Abel Umahi who paraded the arrested Boko Haram suspects said the clampdown on the group was, “in response to intelligence report on the influx of Boko Haram members into Lagos and Ogun states.

“The Headquarters 81 Division organised and conducted raids in conjunction with intelligence operatives in various parts of these states.

The Boko Haram terrorists plan to unleash terror in some part of the South-West which includes 81 Division Area of responsibility.” Some of the suspects were alleged to be among those responsible for the killing of soldiers and civilians in Maiduguri, Borno State.

They were alleged to have migrated from Borno State to the South-West of the country following the recent clamp down on their activities by the Nigerian Armed Forces in the North.

The GOC said: “The raid were conducted from July 12 to 23 in various hideout in Lagos and Ogun states which are fast becoming Boko Haram enclaves.

“The raids were conducted in Ibafo trailer parks and Ileke new trailer garage in Ogun state, and in aviation quarters, Mafoluku Oshodi, Ketu/Mile 2 motor parks, Orile trailer park, Lekki new extension and Bar Beach,” he said.

Umahi stated that the operations led to the arrest of 42 Boko Haram terrorists, saying they admitted to be members of the sect. He said some of them confessed to have participated in some deadly Boko Haram operations in some parts of the country.

He could not, however, disclosed if arms were recovered from the suspects, but he added that they were trying to track the weapons.

He did not say if the suspects were planning any attack in the two states before their arrest. “From investigations we cannot say if they are in Lagos to stage an attack or running for their dear lives. Investigations would reveal that.”

The GOC said the suspects would soon be handed over to another security agency who would carry out further investigations on them. Speaking with Daily Sun, one of the suspects, identified as Hassan Ibrahim admitted that he and two others were responsible for the killing of a soldier in Maiduguri.

He gave the names of the two others as Ismail and Alhaji Black, saying some of them were operating in Lagos as commercial motorcycle operators.

“It was Alhaji Black who fired the shot that killed the soldier and one Boka in Maiduguri,” he said. However, some of the suspects denied knowledge of the activities of Boko Haram, saying they were arrested when security operatives were looking for some suspected members of the sect.