BOKO HARAM CRISIS IN THE HOLD

 Troops in the ongoing offensive against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-
East have captured the masterminds of the abduction of over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

They have also arrested the killers of the Emir of Gwoza. A statement yesterday, by the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, Abuja, by the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Maj.-GenChris Olukolade, said that the troops had also busted the terrorists’ intelligence network and repelled attacks inYobe State at the weekend. The DHQ disclosed that the terrorists’ intelligence cell was headed by a businessman, who participated actively in the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls. “The man, Babuji Ya’ari, who is also a member of the Youth Vigilance Group, popularly known as Civilian JTF, which he uses as cover while remaining an active terrorist, also spearheaded the murder of the Emir of Gwoza,” he said. Olukolade said that the suspect’s main role in the group was to spy and gather information for the terrorists group. “Babuji has been coordinating several deadly attacks in Maiduguri since 2011, including the daring attacks on Customs and military locations as well as the planting of IEDs in several locations in the town. “The arrest of the businessman, who is a dealer in tricycles, has also yielded some vital information and facilitated the arrest of other members of the terrorists’ intelligence cell who are women. “One of them, Hafsat Bako, had earlier escaped to Gombe State to avoid suspicion but was tracked and arrested. “Prior to her arrest, Hafsat coordinated the payment of other operatives on the payroll of the group. “In her confession, she disclosed that a minimum of N10,000 is paid to each operative depending on the enormity of his task. “Another female suspect named Haj Kaka, who doubles as an armourer and a spy for the terrorists group, has also been arrested. Until their arrest, all the suspects actively operated a terrorists’ intelligence cell in collaboration with others still at large. “In another development, troops deployed in Goniri, Yobe State, at the weekend had an encounter with terrorists, resulting in casualties on both sides after the attack was successfully repelled,” the DHQ stated. In a related development, the Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has advised the Federal Government to rule out the possibility of negotiating with the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Rather, the Niger State governor said the sect should
be fought to a standstill. According to him, the terrorists group is not prepared for any compromise now and should be forced out of their hiding and be begging government for the negotiation. Aliyu stated this during a visit by the International Ministers Global Conference led by its President, Bishop John Micah, in Minna. He called on the people to support the government and join in fighting the sect, including those who were extreme in their views, noting that Christianity and Islam emphasised moderation in people’s actions, thinking and in whatever they do. He said: “Extremism is not recognised in our religions. So, whether it is political extremism or religious extremism or whatever it is being called, we must fight it. Whether it comes in the colour of Boko Haram or whatever colour it comes, we must be ready to fight it to a standstill.” He disclosed that to prevent security breach in the state, he had directed that a registration of cooking gas dealers should commence, who would in turn register their customers’ names, their home addresses and what they intended to do with the gas being bought. “I have just told the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, to issue a circular that we must register all those who are selling cooking gas in the state. We must also make it mandatory that anybody who comes to buy cooking gas is registered, including the quantity he or she has bought and the address of the house where he or she is using the gas in.” He added that this became imperative as some of the things being taken for granted were being used by the terrorists to unleash mayhem on the people. Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram invaded Shani Local Government Area of Borno State yesterday and set ablaze the Divisional Police Station and nearby houses, shops and vehicles using improvised explosive devices, IEDs, and petrol bombs. The sect members also went after the LG Caretaker Chairman, Alhaji Modu Walama. Walama had escaped attacks by assassins and terrorists in recent past. A few months ago, some gunmen attacked his family house in Walama and killed one of his sons when they discovered that the chairman was not in the house. Our correspondent gathered from sources that the heavy armed terrorists on motorcycles invaded Shani at 2:45pm and fled after razing the station and some houses. They also snatched one of the patrol vehicles of the police and set it ablaze after they discovered that the engine was faulty. They also shot sporadically before fleeing towards Gwaskara village. A resident of the town, Mallam Aliyu Usman, told our correspondent that news of the terrorists’ invasion was made public around 8am when they were sighted by some women on their farmlands around Walama. It was gathered that the terrorists told the women to vacate their farms as they had deadly mission to execute in undisclosed places in Shani. Usman said although no life was lost, the terrorists succeeded in burning the police station, the police patrol vehicle and other properties. Efforts to speak to the police public relations officer for confirmation of the attack were unsuccessful as his phone
line was not reachable at press time.