BEVERLY HILLS, June 12, (THEWILL) – The Department of State Services, DSS, says it has made progress in tackling the spread of Boko Haram terrorists fleeing the military onslaught in the North-East towards Kaduna and other parts of the country, adding that it has smashed a 15-man kidnap gang led by a dismissed soldier, Lance Corporal Samaila Madu which had been terrorising Edo State and its environs.
The agency, on June 9, 2017, at Aviele, Etsako West LGA of Edo state, arrested the 15 kidnap suspects led by Madu, even as a member of the gang, Ibrahim Topa, was leant to have sustained gunshot injury in his left leg while he was trying to escape.
This emerged as the Nigerian Army announced the rescue of nine minors undergoing terrorist training in Jarawa village, in Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.
Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, in a statement issued on Monday, said the minors were rescued on Sunday, and are being given preliminary humanitarian preparatory to being handed over to the Kala Balge Internally Displaced Persons Camp Management Committee.
This was made known same day that the DSS in a statement by Tony Opuiyo disclosed that its recent massive operations in conjunction with the Nigerian army was aimed at flushing the Boko Haram elements from setting up its cells in Kaduna and its environs.
The statement held that in DSS’ bid to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists, six of the insurgents were arrested at various locations in Igabi and Kaduna North LGAs of Kaduna State. It gave the names of those arrested by the service to
include: Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed, Muhammed Nazifi, Abubakar Usman, Yusufu Idris Usman, Usman Idris Usman, and Ismail Idris.
The secret police said that given its concern about the plethora of kidnappings on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, it arrested Aminu Aliyu in Sokoto State for the kidnap of Ifeanyi Amos (a Nigerian Army Captain) along the Jaji-Kaduna Highway.
According to the statement, “On 7th June, 2017, the Service also arrested Yusuf ALIYU at Ungwar Danmani, Rigasa, Kaduna-North LGA, for his suspected membership of the syndicate terrorizing users of the Abuja-Kaduna Road.
“Again, on 9th June, 2017, at Dankande village, Rigachiku, Igabi LGA, Kaduna State, the Service confronted a notorious
kidnap gang. Though Isah BAKI, leader of the gang escaped with gunshot wounds, three of his members namely: Hassan ABDULLAHI (22 years), Abubakar ABDULLAHI (27 years)
and Suleiman ABDULLAHI (30 years) were arrested.
“On the same 9th June, 2017, along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Road in Kaduna, the Service engaged another
dangerous kidnap group and arrested two of its members: Yusuf SANI and Yusuf ADAMU. Two AK-47 rifles and nine live ammunitions were recovered from the suspects who are currently being interrogated.
“Committed to the effort aimed at achieving a terror free country, the Service sustained its counter terrorism/insurgency operations. To this effect, it continued the degrading of the capabilities of these terrorist elements.
“Consequently, the Service in a joint operation with the Military on 9th June, 2017, arrested Abdulhamid ISIAKA (aka SMALL) and Habib AUDU, at Obajana and Ibilo in Kogi and Edo States respectively.
“It is instructive to note that ISIAKA is a Libyan returnee, who had travelled to that country alongside Abu UWAIS, a most wanted terrorist. While in Libya, ISIAKA had undergone terrorism training and also acquired a cache of weapons in preparation for attacks in Kogi and Kaduna States.
“He however became notorious and specialized in gun-running, kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorist acts. ISIAKA has made useful statements to facilitate further investigations and actions against the terrorist and kidnap
networks on the Abuja-Okene and the Kaduna-Abuja axis.”
The DSS said its collaboration with the military also made progress in the search and arrest of the most-wanted militia in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza (aka Ghana), with the arrest of three of his allies. Those nabbed by the security agencies during the search for Ghana are: Dondo Orsaa, Terhile Mbaloha and Teryima Ihiambe (aka Clark), who were apprehended at various locations within Katsina-Ala LGA, Benue State for their kidnap activities across Benue and Taraba States.
The statement continued that the agency’s collaboration with the Community’s Security Council for
armed robbery and kidnapping in Ebonyi State resulted in the arrest of one Chinonso Onwe (a.k.a Abino Flash) at Izhia Community, Ohaukwu LGA on June 1, 2017.
He was identified to be a member of the Black Axe confraternity astwo locally-made pistols and a pair of Nigerian Army fatigue were among items recovered from him during the arrest of Abino Flash.
Before then, on May 1, 2017, at Galadima, Kogo District in Shiroro LGA of Niger State, the DSS, in concert with the Nigerian army, nabbed Ishaq Hashim and six of his accomplices namely: Hassan Mohammed, Uzairu Umar, Adamu Abdullahi, Sa’idu Abdullahi, Salisu
Haruna and Abubakar Muhammadu for their notoriety in Boko Haram activities.
The secret police stated that the groups were responsible for several
armed robberies and string of kidnappings in Niger State, especially around the Suleja area.
On his part, the Director of Army Public Relations said “Following credible and confirmed information about the convergence of some elements of suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Jarawa village, Kala Balge Local Government Area, Borno State, troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade Nigerian Army of Operation Lafiya Dole, in conjunction with some Civilian JTF (CJTF) yesterday, June 11, carried out a successful clearance operation along that axis.
“At about a kilometre to Jarawa village, the troops encountered heavy Boko Haram terrorists’ ambush, which they successfully cleared after about some minutes of fire fight. They followed it up in hot pursuit of the fleeing insurgents into the nearby forest.
“The troops were able to neutralise a large number of Boko Haram terrorists, including the notorious Abu Nazir, the terrorists’ Amir in Jarawa during the operation.
“They also captured several weapons including an AK-47 rifle, one double barrel gun, one primed heavy Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and three motorcycles.
“Additionally, they rescued nine abducted children undergoing training at the terrorists’ training camp in the village.
“The minors have been evacuated and are being given preliminary humanitarian assistance in preparation to handing them over to Kala Balge Internally Displaced Persons Camp Management Committee,” said Usman.
