Security agents arrest six returning pilgrims for terrorism
- Written by From Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Joseph Onyekwere (Lagos)
- Hits: 96
• Say suspects have links with Boko Haram• Kill 37, govt arraigns four insurgents
FOR their alleged links with terror group, Boko Haram, six persons have been arrested at the Maiduguri International Airport while returning from hajj in Saudi Arabia.
A combined team of the Seventh Division of the Nigerian Army and the police in Borno arrested the terror suspects on Monday.
The suspects, according to the army and police authorities, have been on the wanted lists of the Joint Task Force (JTF) since February this year over their alleged membership of the Boko Haram.
A top military officer of the Seventh Division of the Nigerian Army that co-ordinated the arrest at the airport said in Maiduguri: “Yesterday’s (Monday) arrest of terror suspects was facilitated with the co-operation of the airport authorities and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCOM) by allowing security personnel do their job thoroughly at the arrival hall of the airport at dawn.
“The photographs of the suspects enabled us to identify them despite their disguise to perform hajj along with other pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Their identities were successfully revealed at the arrival hall of the airport with their passport photographs used in the hajj.”
On how they succeeded in being part of the hajj flights, he said: “The suspects, before their departure to Saudi Arabia and during the processing of their visas and other travelling documents, changed their names, but their photographs remained unchanged, as they had been sealed to their passports and other travelling documents.”
Confirming the incident Tuesday in Maiduguri, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jibrin, said that the Boko Haram members on the wanted lists of both the JTF and police were arrested at the airport on Monday on their arrival from Saudi Arabia.
The Seventh Division of the Nigerian Army also said that 37 Boko Haram terror suspects were killed on Monday in co-ordinated ground and air assaults on their camps at Alagarno village of Borno State.
The spokesman of the division, Captain Aliyu Ibrahim Danja, said in Maiduguri yesterday that arms and ammunition were also recovered.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday remanded in prison custody four suspected members of Boko Haram arraigned by the Federal Government.
The government alleged that the first and second defendants plotted to attack the Kirikiri Maximum Prison to free their members held in custody.
The accused persons are Adamu Mohammed, Mohammed Mustapha, Bura Hassaini and Mohammed Ibrahim.
The defendants pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them through an interpreter. As a result, the prosecutor, E.K. Ugwu, said: “In view of the plea of the accused persons, we pray for a date for trial, while the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.”
Consequently, Justice Saliu Saidu ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody and adjourned trial to December 12.
The charge was endorsed by E. K. Ugwu on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
In the first count, the government said the four, sometime in June/July at Wasein, a hide-out at Orile-Iganmu area, Apapa, Lagos, and at 3 Denton Street, Yaba, within the court’s jurisdiction were arrested by a team of security agents for belonging to a proscribed organisation, Boko Haram.
The prosecution said the accused persons thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 2 (3) (i), read in conjunction with Section 33 (1) (b) of the Act as amended by the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) 2013.
In the second count, the government alleged that Mohammed and Mustapha, with others at large, on or about June 26 this year at Wasein, conspired among themselves to commit a felony to wit: “act of terrorism by organising a planned attack on the Kirikiri Prison in Lagos State to free your detained members on prison custody.”
The alleged offence, the government said, was contrary to Section 8 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and punishable under Section 8 (1) of the same Act.
In the third count, Hassaini, allegedly in 2012/2013 at Bama, Borno State, within the Federal High Court jurisdiction, did commit a felony to wit: acts of terrorism, in that they assisted or facilitated the activities of a proscribed organisation, Boko Haram, by monitoring the activities of security agents and reported their findings on phone to the leadership of the terror group headed by one Yamodu in the area, so as to evade arrest and investigation.
Therefore, the accused person was said to have committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 33 (1) (b) of the Act as amended by the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2013.
