MILITARY ARRESTS KINGPIN IN CHIBOK GIRLS’ ABDUCTION The Defence headquarters yesterday said it has smashed a major terrorist intelligence network and arrested a key suspect involved in the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls. A statement by the Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said: “A terrorists’ intelligence cell headed by a businessman who participated actively in the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok has been busted by troops.” General Olukolade said the suspect Babuji Ya’ari, who confessed to using the Youth Vigilante Group, popularly known as Civilian JTF, as cover while remaining an active terrorist, also spearheaded the murder of the Emir of Gwoza. “His main role in the group is to spy and gather information for the terrorists group. Babuji has been coordinating several deadly attacks in Maiduguri since 2011, including the daring attacks on Customs and military locations as well as the planting of IEDs in several locations in the town,” he added. The arrest of the businessman, who is known to deal in tricycles, has also yielded some vital information and facilitated the arrest of other members of the terrorists’ intelligence cell who are women, he explained. “One of them, Hafsat Bako, had earlier escaped to Gombe State to avoid suspicion but was tracked and arrested.” Prior to her arrest, Hafsat coordinated the payment of other operatives on the payroll of the group. “In her confession, she disclosed that a minimum of N10,000 is paid to each operative depending on the enormity of his task.” Another female suspect named Haj Kaka, who doubled as an armourer and a spy for the terrorists group, has also been arrested, the Defence headquarters said. “Until their arrest, all the suspects actively operated a terrorists’ intelligence cell in collaboration with others still at large.” He also said troops deployed in Goniri, Yobe State, over the weekend, had an encounter with terrorists, resulting in casualties on both sides after the attack was successfully repelled. Daily Trust
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 08:39:51 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015