Boko Haram members plan to join army – DSS

The Department of State Services has said some members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect were making plans to join the army.

It, however, added that two members of the sect, who were specialists in the making of Improvised Explosive Devise, were arrested before their desire to join the army was fulfilled.

The spokesperson for the DSS, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said the suspects were arrested in Kano.

He said, 'In response to the regrouping of Boko Haram elements in Kano State, the DSS in concert with the military, carried out coordinated operations in the state which led to the apprehension of two high profile members of the sect.

'They are Ibrahim Abubakar and Idris Audu (a.k.a. AYA). Audu is an IED specialist who was being groomed to penetrate security agencies in the country.

'Audu had already perfected plans to seek for recruitment into the next recruitment scheme of the Nigeria Army, before his arrest.'

He attributed the success recorded in the arrest of these two suspects to the service's sustained tactical and counter-terrorism operations.

Opuiyo also said the service on August 22, arrested one Samuel Asuquo, who was described as a kidnap kingpin, at Nasarawa Bakoko village in Cross River State.

He said the suspect was the mastermind of the kidnap of three Australian staff of Lafarge Cement Company, for which his gang received a ransom of N150m.

On the economic front, Opuiyo said the service was  currently intensifying action against high level fraudsters whose unwholesome activities were negatively affecting investors' confidence with multiplier risk to genuine businesses nationwide.

He said, 'Accordingly, one Izuagie Mohammed was arrested in Benin City, Edo State on August 24, for impersonating the Accountant General of the Federation.

'Mohammed had allegedly defrauded unsuspecting members of the public posing as the Nigerian AGF on Facebook and promising them facilitation of the Central Bank of Nigeria empowerment loan, before he was apprehended by the Service.

He assured all law abiding citizens and residents that the DSS would not rest on its oars in its determination to ensure a safe environment for all to carry out their legitimate business. - Punch.