Lagos bomb house: 17 immigrants linked to terrorism

SEVENTEEN illegal immigrants arrested in Lagos by a joint team of policemen and Lagos State Task Force on Environment and other Offences may have been linked to terrorism.

The immigrants, said to be Nigeriens, who were among the 92 illegal immigrants arrested last week, are expected to be handed over to the police by the National Immigration Service (NIS).

Rasheed Odupeyin, the Comptroller of Immigration, speaking with newsmen yesterday revealed that 57 of the immigrants were repartriated yesterday.

The deported 57 immigrants, he said, were not linked to terrorism or the deadly Boko Haram group.

He also announced that there were 18 Malians, who could also not give any convincing explaination on how they got to Nigeria and their mission in the country.

The NIS boss hinted that the Malians would not be deported now because of the ongoing war ravaging the country.

One of the suspects, a  Nigerian, Ibrahim Mohammed, claimed that most of them were from Takai in Kano State, insisting that they have no  link with any terrorist group but were in Lagos to earn a living.

Another suspect, a Malian, who simply identified himself as Ahmadu said that he came to Nigeria through the border town  of Kamba, in Kebbi State and does not have any crime record.

The suspect who admitted that he has no document said that he earned his living by fetching water for residents of Surulere.

20 suspected terrorists arrested
About twenty illegal immigrants, suspected to be terrorists were on Tuesday afternoon arrested by the State Security Services.

They had since been handed over to the Lagos State command of the Nigeria Immigration Services

The suspected terror members were arrested between the boarder between Lagos and Ogun Sta.tes around Ojodu Berger Bus Stop.

They were reportedly hiding in a trailer filled with goods , when they were intercepted  by men of the State Security Services.

The Nigerian Tribune was informed by a source at the immigration office. that some other occupants of the trailer had been screened and released by the SSS.

It was gathered that the SSS men , who must have been acting on intelligence reports had to shoot into the air, to stop the truck.

“On thorough investigation, it was discovered that there were some people hiding behind the goodsand they were all arrested, “an immigration source, who pleaded anonymity informed the Nigerian Tribune.

He added that “those who were Hausa were released, while the illegal immigrants were brought here this afternoon.”

A top official of the SSS, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune, under the condition of anonymity confirmed the arrest.

The SSS official said “ We intercepted a trailer coming from the north and when it was searched,  we found out that there were illegal immigrants in the trailer  He also confirmed that they had been handed over to the immigration.

Meanwhile a source within the security circle in Lagos State informed the Nigerian Tribune that the police in the state are gathering information on activities of terrorists along LASU Igando Road in the state

The source disclosed that some people, suspected to be members of a terror group were reportedly grouping around Oko, along LASU, Iyana-Iba
The image maker in charge of the state police command, Ngozi Braide, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune stated that the arrest of the suspects had nothing to do with terror activities.

She stated that they were arrested during a normal routine raid on suspected hideout of criminals in all parts of the state.

Afenifere demands probe
The pan-Yoruba body, Afenifere, on Tuesday, demanded a thorough investigation into the discovery of the building where nine suspected terrorists hid bombs in Ijora-Badia, Lagos State with the aim of determining the true owner of the house.

The organisation was reacting to the allegation by the Ojora of Ijora,Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire carried in media reports that the building belonged to the Bayelsa State government.

 A statement by the publicity secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin emailed to the Nigerian Tribune, warned against treating the claim by the monarch with levity because of the psychological warfare that had been unleashed on the people for about a year now.

With the discovery of the suspected bombs and arrest of the suspects, including a Chadian, the group noted that what had widely been perceived as a threat was assuming a near reality.

 Accordingly, it demanded a thorough investigation with a view to also ascertain the true identities of the suspects and what links they have with the Boko Haram or any Nigerian law enforcement agency.

It said the probe would also assist in establishing the veracity of claims that the building did not only belong to Bayelsa State but that it had “been approached several times by the community to demolish the house or give it to people who may use it but without any response.

The organization added that a satisfactory explanation would dispel the conspiracy theory that Boko Haram might “have become a franchise under which fifth columnists may be operating to disrupt the peace of Yorubaland  and instigate a national crisis with our land as a possible battle ground.”
 While urging the people to be extra vigilant, Afenifere warned against any shoddy handling of the case as had “happened to many of such incidents in recent time with suspects paraded and nothing is heard again.”

‘Boko Haram fighting its last battle’
The military yesterday in Abuja dismissed fear being expressed over the increase in the terrorist attacks in the Northern part of the country and its threat in the Southwest claiming the Boko Haram sect is fighting its last battle due to their imminent defeat.

The new Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade made this assertion in his maiden meeting with the Defence Correspondents where he also faulted the purported retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral S. Ola Ibrahim.

The recent multiple bombings in Kano, Jos and Maiduguri and the attendant problem has been making some people jittery thinking the sect is fully back with its usual seemingly endless killings and bombing, but the military says the reverse is the case.

“What we are witnessing of recent from the Boko Haram, I personally see it as a kind of desperation. There is a saying that ‘the battle is hottest when it is about to an end. This shows this is the last fight by the Boko Haram, from the way they have been working and the expectation from the headquarters, the fight against terrorism is coming to an end. Whatever that is happening, the end to terrorism has come in Nigeria,” he stated.

According to him, “Since its establishment, the JTF has identified and destroyed many IED factories, recovered large quantity of arms, ammunitions and IED materials, arrested most of their leaders and followers. They have also been able to identify and repatriate illegal immigrants from Niger, Chad, and Mali among others.
Tribune