BEVERLY HILLS, August 15, (THEWILL) – Soldiers attached to the Special Task Force have detained 51 youths who were being transported to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city in the night from Maiduguri, Borno State, the spiritual headquarters of the terrorist group Boko Haram.
A statement on the website of the Ministry of Defence said the youths who were travelling in a convoy of 3 eighteen seater mass transit buses were intercepted around 3.am in Plateau State on Wednesday.
“Officers of the Special Task Force are currently trying to unravel the motive for the movement of some youths from Maiduguri heading to Abuja at about 3am when they were accosted in Plateau State on Wednesday.
“Numbering about 51, the youths were under the guidance of a lady as they were being conveyed in 3 eighteen-seater mass transit buses when they were intercepted along Babale in Plateau state as they journeyed from Maiduguri to Abuja in the night,” the statement said.
“During the interrogation that followed, they claimed they were being conveyed to Abuja on the directives of a Borno State Government official to meet their relatives for assistance in an economic empowerment programme.”
The statement however said the official is yet to respond to series of efforts to verify the claims.
“The issue is being investigated to ascertain the genuine mission of such a team of young persons moving in the night more so as they have made contradictory statements as to the sponsorship of their mission to Abuja.
“The movement is being assessed in the light of the security situation and the suspicious claims of the youths,” the statement added.
A few months back, soldiers in Abia State intercepted several buses transporting northern youths to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Some of the youths detained turned out to be persons wanted by authorities on terror related charges.
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