ABUJA— Details of how the Nigerian security agencies dismantled the
leadership and stronghold of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents emerged last
night, with
confirmation that the Nigerian leader of the sect, Abu Musab
al-Barnawi, had been captured three months before the fall of Sambisa forest to
Nigerian troops.
A top security official confirmed to Vanguard that Abu Musab al-Barnawi,
a top Boko Haram and ISIS leader, was rated by the United States as the world’s
third most wanted terrorist and a major threat to world peace.
Al-Barnawi, who was spokesman for the Nigerian-based Islamists, was
declared Nigerian leader of Boko Haram last August and had been featured in the
latest issue of an IS magazine.
Al-Barnawi arrested 3 months ago
The source revealed that the Nigerian security agency successfully
arrested the terrorist and took him into custody about three months ago, paving
the way for the sacking of the Boko Haram stronghold in the Sambisa forest.
The source said: “The suspect, who was responsible for major killings,
kidnap of locals and foreigners between 2012 and 2015, is in our custody.
“In fact, when the rest of the world got to know that the key terrorist
had been captured by us, they had been sending their officials to come and
interrogate him in our custody.
“We had prepared adequately for the arrest of the suspect, who is the
third most wanted terrorist in the world, before the takeover of the Sambisa
forest by the Nigerian troops.’’
The source also confirmed that unspecified Boko Haram leaders and
fighters were fleeing into other parts of Nigeria to escape the fire power of
the military who vowed to fish them out wherever they might be hiding.
“We will smoke them out wherever they may be fleeing to,” the official
vowed.
How DSS foiled major terrorist attack in US
According to the official, it is such a high level of professionalism and
coordination that enabled the DSS to foil a major terrorist attack in the
United States of America about six months ago, which saved lives and property
in that country.
“It was such a feat that the US President had to send a commendation
message to his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari,” the official said,
pointing out that the DSS was a notch ahead in terms of expertise and
professionalism.
“We can say without equivocation that we are high up there in terms of
professionalism in the intelligence community and we have made a significant
impact in nipping in the bud major incidents that would have posed major
threats to the country,” the official said.
He pointed out that because of the excellent work being done by the DSS
under the present administration, major countries of the world now turned to
the agency for information and accord it more respect and acceptance than in
the previous years.
No in-fighting among security agencies
The official repudiated the notion that the DSS and other security
agencies in the country are at war, pointing out that there was nothing of
such.
The official said: “We work together for the common interest of the
nation and its people. There is no in-fighting among the security agencies even
though there may some misunderstanding at times.
“But it must be made clear that we are properly coordinated and united to
the extent that every action to be taken by the government is
intelligence-based.”
AMAC marshal nabs fleeing Boko Haram member in Abuja
Meanwhile, personnel of a security outfit recently established by Abuja
Municipal Area Council, known as AMAC Marshal, have apprehended a middle-aged
man suspected to be one of the fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect, in
Abuja.
A statement by spokesman of AMAC, Marshal Kingsley Madaki, last night in
Abuja, said the suspect, who gave his name as Usman, was nabbed at 4:30pm in
Utako market shortly after he arrived the premises “with a Qur’an and a chaplet
on his neck, while trying to lobby people in the market.”
The statement said the suspected Boko Haram member had, however,
“confessed that there are so many of his colleagues out there in the city to
unleash mayhem on innocent residents.”
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