A physically challenged man was yesterday arrested for allegedly planning to bomb the Centrex unit of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), situated along the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. A source close to the airport alleged that the suspect was arrested midday by the security operatives when he attempted to detonate the explosive device he put on his body.
A source at the airport told New Telegraph that the suspect’s movement attracted the attention of security operatives who rounded him up around the complex. According to the source, “Our security men were curious of his presence at the place and they queried him, but the explanation he gave was not convincing.
So, they kept an eye on him. Few seconds later, they discovered that he was struggling and protecting object tied around his neck. “The airport police command was promptly alerted and he was immediately handed over to the police. I can confirm to you that he was immediately taken to the Beesam Police Station within the airport.
Why he chose NAMA and airport is still unknown to some of us here.” The suspect was still being held at the Beesam Police Station within the airport, undergoing interrogation.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. Waheed Salahu, declined to comment, saying it would be too premature to talk with the media at the moment.
But a source close to the command confirmed the story to our correspondent. The source, who could not talk to the media on the issue, confided that the suspect was arrested around noon and had been taken to the Beesam Police Station.
The source could not, however, confirm if the suspect was a member of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, but confirmed that explosive devices were on the suspect as at the time of arrest. Meanwhile, NAMA has denied that the suspected suicide bomber was arrested at one of the agency’s facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos yesterday.
Spokesman for NAMA, Supo Atobatele, stated that the suspect was on the ground making phone calls along the airport road close to CENTREX, an annex office of NAMA, when the agency’s security personnel accosted him. According to Atobatele,
“The basic truth, however, is that the said suspect was on the ground making phone calls along the airport road close to CENTREX, an annex office of NAMA, when the agency’s security personnel accosted him of his presence.
“His incoherent explanation exposed him to the security personnel who later found on him with some devices suspected to be explosives.” He was subsequently handed over to the Airport Police Command for further investigation. The NAMA Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, commended the security personnel for their vigilance and prompt arrest of the suspect.
NEW TELEGRAPH
No comments:
Post a Comment