BEVERLY HILLS, June 23, (THEWILL) – The Department of State Services (DSS), on Friday, said it had uncovered a plot by suspected terrorists to attack Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Maiduguri during the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, an agent of the service said two suspects, Yusuf Adamu and Abdulmuminu Haladu, were arrested in Sokoto in connection with the plot in the early hours of Friday.
He added that the service had earlier arrested Bashir Mohammed, a Boko Haram explosive expert, who was facilitating the attack on Tuesday at Unguwar Barnawa, Kaduna while Shekarau Madaki was also arrested at Kumbatso Local Government Area of Kano State.
Opuiyo said that their plan, together with some currently at large, was to assemble explosives and use them on selected targets during the sallah celebration.
Items recovered from Mohammed’s house were eight AK 47 rifles, 20 AK 47 loaded magazines, 27 hand grenades and 793 rounds of live ammunition.
Others were one gas cylinder, three laptops, one Lifan motorcycle, one Honda Civic car and one printer.
He said the service had also uncovered plots by terrorists to infiltrate the ranks of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shiites.
“In the past few weeks, this service has uncovered a sinister plot by terrorist elements to stage series of coordinated attacks using explosives in different cities across the country,” the agent said.
“Their aim was to hit on soft targets such as markets, public parks, public processions, recreation centres as well as worship centres especially the Eid praying grounds and other densely populated areas during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration.
“The latest plan by the terrorists was to unleash mayhem on Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri.
“Consequently, the service wishes to announce that the planned terrorist attacks in Kano and aforementioned states have been nipped in the bud.
“This followed the arrest of Yusuf Adamu and Abdumuminu Haladu in the early hours of today in Sokoto. However, the service had earlier arrested the facilitator of the Kano attack, an explosive expert by name Bashir Mohammed.”
The DSS also warned the Islamic Movement of Nigeria to shelve it planned procession in the country for security reasons revealing that “terrorist elements” have planned to infiltrate the ranks of the group to unleash violence in the city.
“Sequel to this, the SSS is warning members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) to desist from staging any form of procession or demonstration as the terrorists will seize the opportunity to unleash mayhem,” he said.
He advised the public to disregard the antics of the terrorist extremists to cause breakdown of law and order and instil fear in the populace saying “the Service is working in concert with other security agencies to ensure that no section of the country is attacked during and after the sallah celebrations.”
He enjoined law abiding citizens and residents to go about their normal businesses without fear.
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