May 2, 2012 by Mustapha Salihu, Kano
The Joint Security Task Force in Kano has arrested a Boko Haram member, Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, a prime suspect in Sunday’s coordinated attacks on Christian worshippers at the old campus of Bayero University, Kano in which 20 persons, including two professors, were killed.
Ali had escaped the early dawn raid on Tuesday by the JTF.
JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, told newsmen that Ali, a diploma holder from Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Borno State, was nabbed by security operatives who had been on his trail when he escaped after blasting the walls of a factory/house around 4a.m on Tuesday.
Acting on information, the JTF had surrounded the house located at Bubugaje, Sharada Phase III Industrial Layout in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
During the three hour shoot-out between the JTF and suspected members of the Boko Haram, one civilian was killed.
Ali is alleged to be the husband of the Camerounian-nursing mother, Fati Mohammed, arrested by the JTF in the dawn raid yesterday.
The Camerounian nursing mother, aged about 20 years, was among the three females, comprising two wives and a teenager, who served as house-girl to one of the sect members.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Mohammed had been arrested before in a similar raid by the security operatives, but was freed.
According to her, she was nabbed alongside Lami Idris, who is a maid and Habiba Mohammed.
She was holding a two-month old baby when she was paraded alongside the others.
The bomb factory also used as residence by the deadly sect members had been razed down on the orders of the Commander, 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Illyasu Abbah.
Also demolished was the adjoining building used as escape route by one of the sect members.
Intelligence report reveals that the terrorists were among the several others that attacked Christian worshippers at BUK.
Over three bombs already primed exploded in the house, just as a gunfight raged between the JTF and the Boko Haram members.
The walls of the building had hundreds of bullet holes in them when newsmen went to inspect the scene.
About five unexploded bombs already primed for attack were also recovered.
Some of the items recovered from the bomb making factory are one AK 47 rifle, 35 Improvised Explosive Devices, one motorcycle, 5 cylinders already wired with high-calibre explosives, bags of fertiliser and 400 rounds of ammunition.
Others are two laptops, several batteries, remote car keys and other items used as bomb timers, 35 knives and other dangerous weapons.
Addressing newsmen at the scene, Brigadier-General Illyasu Abbah said, “I don’t need to say much, the picture on ground do not tell lie.”
He added, “The information reaching us now is that the one that was killed was among those who attacked Christians while worshiping at BUK last Sunday.”
He disclosed that one dead sect member, two wives, maid and two children, including a two-month old and seven year-old, were professionally brought out unhurt.
According to him, the dead sect member was the only one that was armed and prepared to confront the security forces. “Nemesis caught up with him; that is the dead body lying down there.”
Asked if the house could be referred to as a bomb factory, the Commander said, “If you call it a bomb factory, I can say yes. You can see most of those things have been prepared, ready for a mission, suicide mission of course. These are the IEDs they normally throw around.
“Well let me tell you, the most difficult fight you can have is with terrorists. They know us and we don’t know them. And the way they operate, is in one or two, they don’t permanently reside in a particular place.”
“Today, if we have routed them out from one place, tomorrow you will hear they are somewhere else. So, it is a very, very difficult battle to confront terrorists. But I assure you with the cooperation of the public and the enlightenment of the teeming members of the public, I think we would overcome this ugly incident.”
Life is short,have fun!!! 