SIRT, an elite unit of the police set up by the inspector general of police, Solomon Arase, arrested five suspects for being the brains behind the terrorising of the metropolis of the Federal Capital Territory.
During the operation several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), laptops, mechanical engineering textbooks, 27 pieces of detonators, pH litmus paper, aluminium powder, number plates and IED materials were recovered from the suspects, The Punch reports.
The suspects were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, on a five-count terrorism-related charge. The five of them are now being remanded in the Kuje prison on the orders of Justice Abdul Kafarati.
The suspects are Abdulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru, aka Haulaki and Abdullahi Nasiru.
One of the suspects, Haulaki, who pleaded guilty to having IEDs stored in his house, told how he joined Boko Haram, saying he was indoctrinated in 2013 by a cleric named Mustapha.
The suspect, who hails from Kogi state, said: “I am married and my wife is currently pregnant. I rented an apartment close to a mosque and one of the sons of my landlord, Abubakar, who happened to be my friend and had been killed during an operation, regularly went to that mosque and he was the one who introduced me to the Imam, Mustapha, who was in charge of the mosque.
“Mustapha is also in the custody of security agents and he was the one who indoctrinated me into Boko Haram group. He would always tell me and some other persons to support the cause of Jihad in the North Eastern part of the country in any way we can and that when we cannot donate ourselves or money to the cause, we should at least pray for those waging the war.
“In some of his teachings, he told us that western education was a sin and working for the government was also a sin. He then asked those who have gone through secondary and university education to destroy their certificate. A lot of people, who were graduates from the secondary schools and universities in that mosque, destroyed their certificates. And that singular gesture endeared me to that sect.
“These men were highly devoted to the cause and they told me that they usually rob unbelievers and use the money to support the cause. Abu Hamza is our leader and also one of the bomb manufacturer. He was the one who led us to rob two banks in Owo, Ondo State and Okene in Kogi state, and it is through that means that he raised money for bomb materials and others.
“He was the one who also taught Usman how to make the bombs. I am a very good driver and my duty is to drive vehicles to various destinations. I usually don’t ask if there is bomb in those vehicles or not. All I do is to follow instruction,” he added.
Haulaki, explaining how he was arrested, said following the arrest of Hamza and another member of the terrorist group a few months ago, senior members of the group told him to move all the ready-made bombs and other materials to the house of his brother, who is also a Boko member, in Iddo area of the FCT.
“I also gave two Ak-47 rifles and some bombs to a senior member, Abu Hussien, who took them to Okene, Kogi state. Few days before the last sallah some vigilante men arrested and handed me over to the military intelligence who detained and later handed me over to the police special team. I regret joining the Boko Haram sect,” he lamented.
More that 27 people have been confirmed dead and 96 others injured following a suicide bomb attack at a mosque in Maiduguri, and another attack in a mosque in Jimeta area of Yola, the Adamawa state capital.
The explosions happened as worshippers were observing the weekly Jumaat service.
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