The Department of State Services has
arrested 45 suspected Boko Haram members in connection with a foiled
attack on Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of
Lagos in September. The DSS also charged the suspects to a
Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Isolo on Friday and the court
ordered the remand of the 45 suspects in Kirikiri prisons in the state.
The DSS, which obtained the remand order
on the suspects, told the court that they were arrested in connection
with a foiled attack on Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi in Eti-Osa Local
Government Area of Lagos in September. The
DSS said the suspects were arrested following intelligence report on
their alleged plan to attack the estate, which is in a high brow area in
the state.
The security operatives told the court
that the suspects had volunteered confessional statements, adding that
arms were recovered from them. The DSS urged the court to remand the suspects in prison pending further investigations. The magistrate, who asked that his name
should not be disclosed for security reasons, granted the prayers that
the suspects be remanded in prison.
According to the charge filed before the
court, the names of the suspects include Abuyi Sheriff, Babagana Ali,
Abass Ibrahim, Abubaka Grema, Kabiri Ibrahim, Mustaph Mohammed, Usman
Mohammed, Modu Amsami, Isa Agafi, Adamu Jebili and Saja Kamba.
Also among them were: Abba Sagoma,
Mallam Buchu, Abdul-Kareem Abba, Babagana Koloye, Usman Buka, Adamu
Mohammed, Lawal Mohammed, Tela Abana, Mustapha Mohammed, Isa Agafi, Belo
Modu, Kachala Babagana, Modu Abu and Alhaji Modu Mustapha.
An affidavit presented in court
disclosed how a team of the DSS cordoned off the area, intercepted the
suspects and carried out the arrests. However, the DSS could not be reached as it had yet to announce a new spokesperson.
Recently, the DSS disclosed that it had
arrested some suspected terrorists in various places in and around Lagos
including Kara, Isheri Berger area; Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Alimosho
area; Ijora Badia, Apapa area; and Ebute-Meta in Lagos Mainland Local
Government Area.
Earlier in the year, two suspected members of Boko Haram were also arrested in the metropolis. The suspects were apprehended during an
operation carried out by men and officers of the Operation Mesa, a joint
security outfit comprising members of the armed forces and those of the
DSS.
The raid had taken place at the Ijora
7-Up area of Lagos, after a tip-off on the activities of a terror
network coordinated by Iranians in the city. The suspects, a Chadian, identified as
Aminu, and a Northerner, whose identity could not be ascertained, were
arrested after soldiers ransacked a building in the area.
Aminu was said to have concealed some
devices suspected to be explosives in boxes, which were stacked in the
ceiling of the house. Also recovered alongside the suspected explosives
were two AK47 rifles. The National Security Adviser had also
recently issued a security alert on the likelihood of Boko Haram
attacking Lagos seaports following concerns expressed by the United
States Embassy on the level of insecurity at the country’s seaports.
The Assistant Comptroller General of
Customs in charge of Enforcement and Intelligence, Mr. Dan Ugo, had on
behalf of the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), signed the
alert. Following the security alert, it was
learned that the Nigeria Customs Service had begun the restriction of
persons into its various commands and formations in Lagos.
The development had also brought about an increase in the level of security checks at all access points into the ports. The leadership of the Port Facility
Security Officer Forum had also warned its members to increase
surveillance on their facilities and reduce the number of people into
their premises.
Thousands of lives had been lost to
series of attacks by the dreaded terrorist group, especially in the
North Eastern part of the country. The group, which had pledged allegiance to ISIS also claimed several lives in multiple explosions on Friday.
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