THE Federal Government on Thursday raised the alarm that Boko Haram insurgents were planning to attack political rallies, worship centres and markets with camels, goats and donkeys laden with explosives.
The government said intelligence reports indicated that the insurgents were also planning to use young men disguised as cobblers to attack Automated Teller Machines, restaurants and other places.
Coordinator of the National Information Centre on the war against terrorism, Mr. Mike Omeri, at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, said security agencies and related organisations had been alerted to take necessary steps to forestall such attacks.
He said, “Available intelligence reports indicate a plan by Boko Haram to use young male suicide bombers disguised as cobblers to hide explosives in their tool boxes and detonate them in soft target areas such as markets, restaurants, ATM locations, political rallies, worship centres, as well as other public places.
“Also, there is indication of a plan by this group to use livestock such as goats, cows, donkeys and camels laden with explosives to attack chosen targets. In view of these, the general public, including all persons within and around the aforementioned places, is advised to be vigilant and mindful of suspicious activities within their environment.”
Omeri, who is also Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, said that several persons released by Boko Haram in Yobe State were being counselled by professionals from the military, police, Red Cross and the National Emergency Management Agency.
He said, “The centre wishes to confirm that the persons recently released by Boko Haram are presently in the custody of military authorities. Authoritatively, we can say that these persons are currently undergoing counselling after which they will return home to re-join their kith and kin.
“Most recently it has been discovered that some IDP camps have been infiltrated by agents of the insurgent group and has been giving false and inaccurate reports about the situation in the camps. Unfortunately, these reports have been adopted as true situation by international organisations and media.”
He warned genuine livestock farmers to refrain from taking animals to the city centres as security agents were bound to stop them.
Answering questions from journalists, Omeri said Nigeria had the human capacity to tackle the menace of Boko Haram and that any nation that wished to assist the country should channel the help to the procurement of weapons.
He also said that officials of the Nigerian Red Cross and top government functionaries were in the Diffa region of Niger Republic to supervise the distribution of 540 metric tonnes of food items, which he said were distributed to 100,000 Nigerians camped in various places.
Omeri added that about 1,000 persons in the camps were citizens of Niger Republic, who had been with the displaced Nigerians most of their lives.
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