Nigeria: JTF Uncovers Terrorists Hideout in Kogi

A Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising Police, State Security Service (SSS), Navy, Air-force and Army recorded a major breakthrough Wednesday in Kogi State as a key hideout of terrorists was discovered and dismantled with different kinds of dangerous items recovered.

The state Director of SSS, Mr. Mike Funbara, said the discovery was a "turning point in the security situation in the state," adding that security operatives had been able to get to the root of crime perpetration in the state.

He added that: "It is now clear that there is a terrorist group in the state but we are dismantling all their arsenals."

While briefing journalists on the discovery, Funbara said the command was able to recover 14 locally made hand grenades, eight anti-tank improvised explosive devices (IEDs), one firing cable, three 9 volts power sources, ten AK 47 rifles, two revolver pistols, one bareta pistol, one sub machine gun, one SMG magazine, 545 live ammunition, 55 rounds of 9mm ammunition for pistols, four bondalia bags for carrying magazines, a Nissan Pathfinder with registration number Lagos LF 98 AAA and 57 empty magazines among items recovered from the hideout.

He however urged the Federal Government to redeploy capable hands to the state in order to assist in the protection of lives and property. "The combination of the agencies has hit the bull's eyes. We have the details of their whereabouts and we will continue to go after them. The intelligence we are getting in the state is as clean as a whistle," he assured.

Though details of causalities on both sides and the number of arrest made were not made public due to security reasons, the leader of the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Olorunyomi, said the hideout was located in Okenwen, a border town between Kogi and Edo States where items recovered were said to have been dug out from the ground where they were buried.

Olorunyomi noted that the cache of arms recovered during the operation was capable of wrecking significant proportion of havoc on the state except for the timely intervention of the security agents, which he said was made possible by intelligence reports coming from the public.

He therefore urged the people to continue to collaborate with security agencies in the state by giving prompt and reliable information about criminals, in the quest to ensure that criminals are stamped out in the state.

from thisday

By Shola Oyeyipo

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Nigeria: Another Bomb Factory Discovered in Kogi Cave

Lokoja — A strange 'bomb factory' was again discovered in a cave in Kogi State yesterday.

This made it the fourth 'bomb factory' unearthed by security operatives in Kogi State so far. The first was in Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area, followed by the one found in an uncompleted building on Kano Road, Kabba, as well as the one behind a primary school at Ogaminana, also in the state.

Security operatives yesterday found security metal detectors, bulletproof vests, gas cylinder, already made bombs from the cave at Usomi in Okene Local Government Area of the state.

The operation, which was carried out by a combined team of State Security Services (SSS) and the Army, took place after a security tip off, with the security combing every part of the mountain, including the cave.

The operation was said to be part of the overall and sustained intelligence gathering and the collaboration of the security agencies.

The items recovered during the raid include unprimed grenade, hand grenade, gas cylinder, 43 fabricated bomb canisters, double barrel gun, 1.5 KVA electricity generator, iron grinder, wires and ammonia.

Others are gun powder, time bomb devices, remote starters for motorbikes, batteries, canisters, iron cutters, clamp, welding materials, gloves, super glue, tools, bottles, syringe and needles, anti-personnel device and primary explosives.

According to security sources, banks in the state were part of the targets of the planned bombings.

Although no arrest had been made as at the time of filing the report, security sources said, 'We 'll go after them. In fighting crime, we must keep the criminals on the move. We'll diminish their capability. We have our strategy to curtail them if they dare attack again.'

The sources said 'in order to avoid casualty on our side, the Air Force was involved in the operation with heavy aerial bombardment to smoke them out.'

Similar raids by the joint task force at Idoma area in Okene led to the arrest of some suspected terrorists and the killing of nine others.


from allAfrica

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Nigeria: Another Kogi Bomb Factory - 10 Killed in Boko Haram, Security Forces Gun Duel

Security forces, yesterday, clashed with gunmen suspected to be members of the Islamist group, Boko Haram.

By the time the booming of guns went down, 10 people lay dead.

The dead include nine suspected Islamists and one soldier. Two other security operatives sustained serious injuries.

Scene of gun battle was Ihima, in OkehiLocal Government Area of Kogi State.

The members of the security forces, comprising of the military and the Department of State Security, SSS,were said to be on their way to uncover a bomb factory allegedly operated by Boko Haram in Ihima when they came under attack by the Islamists

The security forces had acted on a tip-off barely one week after they uncovered another bomb factory in Kabba, the headquarters of Kabba LGA, Kogi State.

In the ensuing duel, nine Islamists and a soldier were killed while two members of the SSS were also injured.

In the course of the duel, the military deployed a helicopter for reconaissance and shelling of the Islamists bomb factory.

Bomb manufacturing materials discovered in Kogi State, yesterday.

Confirming the incident, the commandant, Nigeria Army Records, Lokoja, General Alphosus Chukwu, who led the operation, said the security forces, acting on a tip off, were on their way to Ihima to uncover another bomb factory, after the one in Kabba was unveiled, when they were engaged in gun duel by the hoodlums. He added: "We are already on top of the situation and the factory is now condoned off".

He advised law abiding citizens in the area to go about their lawful duties without any fear of molestation. Meanwhile, the governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, says his government would take care of the medical expenses of the injured security agents.

The governor, who stated this when he paid a visit to the injured security men at the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja, said government will continue to work with the security forces to rid the state of criminals. He called on the security agents not to be deterred in the onerous task of providing security for the citizenry.

By Isiaka Oyibo, 1 April 2012
from allAfrica

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