The Joint military Task Force (
JTF) in the wee hours of yesterday invaded a suspected
Boko Haram bomb factory at Haye, a suburb of Hotoron Arewa Nassarawa Local Government Area of
Kano State, arrested a number of persons and carted away bomb-making materials.
Elsewhere in
Maiduguri,
Borno State, the sect suffered another misfortune as three of its suspected members were killed by the JTF.
Conducting reporters round the house, spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, said two women and a couple of children found in the house were rescued by the task force and taken away.
"The main person that we are looking for was not arrested because he was not in the house but we have rescued women and children from the house before the operation carried out by the operatives," Iweha said.
According to him, "Pressure is consistently being mounted on them by the security, and people should not be afraid as security agencies are trying to ensure that Kano is safe and we are always appealing to people to report any suspicious person or movement in their community."
He said items recovered at the house included improvised explosive device (IEDs), assorted containers, prime drum, liquid substances, charcoal and a film leaflet of Osama bin Laden with the inscription: 'Osama bin Laden dead at last'.
"Two women and a couple of children that we have rescued have been taken away for investigation, and the house will be brought down using military armoured carrier," he added.
The spokesman of the JTF expressed appreciation to the general public, adding that "people should not be afraid to alert the security agencies with information about suspicious people or their movements because we want to make sure that Kano is safe."
It was observed that two armoured personal carriers (APC) and other military vehicles were used to cordon off the house, while the residents were seen saluting the military for their wonderful job in the area.
Meanwhile, the JTF in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday killed three suspected Boko Haram members in a stolen vehicle.
THISDAY gathered that the suspected members of the sect were killed at the Molai military post, located at the outskirts of Maiduguri while attempting to flee in a stolen vehicle.
A military source revealed that the victims were planning to launch attacks on Biu town in the stolen vehicle.
Spokesman of JTF in the state, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, in a press statement said: "Following a distress call, the Joint Task Force Operation Restore Order 1 at 12 noon on Monday, encountered Boko Haram terrorists that snatched a vehicle and were moving towards Biu. In the process, there were exchanges of gun fire at the military posts where three suspected terrorists were killed."
He added that the stolen vehicle, in which the suspects were fleeing, was also recovered and returned to the owner in Maiduguri.
He said the JTF was on top of the security situation in the state, urging residents and other members of the general public to continue to cooperate with the security task force and other security agents by providing information on the sect members' hideouts and their modus operandi.
Also confirming the incident, the Field Operations Officer of the JTF in Borno State, Col. Victor Ebhaleme, said: "Three suspected Boko Haram terrorists who went to rob some residents of their valuables were killed in a shootout while trying to flee the scene."
Ebhaleme, who spoke on phone, also said: "With the way we are cracking down on the Boko Haram terrorists, we strongly believe that their end is in sight. Some of them have now resorted to armed robbery and other forms of criminality, but we will surely fish them out."
In a related development, one Stephen Pam, a staff member of Borno State House of Assembly was killed by suspected Boko Haram members.
Pam, according to sources, was killed at his residence in Galadima, within Maiduguri metropolis.
In another attack by the sect, two brothers were killed at Kofa Mela part of the town, which is opposite the Maiduguri New Prison.
The sect was said to have also killed a welder at the notorious Abbaganaram part of the city yesterday.
The killing at Galadima, Kofa Mela and Abbaganaram areas which are on the same axis of the town caused heavy traffic along that axis as vehicles were made to undergo serious check on the popular Ibrahim Imam Way.
However, information could not be got from relevant authorities as the erratic telecommunications network made it impossible to reach the officers.
In a related development, unknown gunmen, on Monday night, killed and set three persons ablaze in Barkin Ladi Local Government area of
Plateau State. This is the second of such attacks in one week.
THISDAY gathered that just last week, a councillor in the local government was also attacked and killed by unknown persons.
This time, it was learnt that the Director of Finance and Supply of Jos East Local Government and two others who were in the same car heading towards Gashish village in the local government were attacked.
The local government, which is under emergency rule along with three others in the state, have been under frequent attacks by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen for quite some time.
Sources close to the scene of the attack disclosed that the three occupants were attacked with guns and other dangerous weapons at about 8:30pm.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Special Task Force, Captain Markus Mdahyelya, who confirmed the incident, said: "Three unidentified people were ambushed and killed on Monday in the border area between Barkin-Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas of the state."
from allAfrica
By Ibrahim Shuaibu , Michael Olugbode and Seriki Adinoyi, 25 April 2012
http://www.thisdaylive.com/
Washington Time
Kabul Time
London Time
