by Punch Newspaper
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.
