Snatched police bullet-proof van recovered from sect in Yobe
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| Police Headquarters |
By: Michael Olugbode
The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State, Operation Restore
Order, Sunday revealed that members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram sect
have resorted to kidnapping and ransom demand to finance their terror
operations.
The revelation by JTF also came on a day it announced that
it had recovered a snatched police bullet-proof patrol van from the sect, after
it had attacked a police station and the Police Area Commander’s office on
Nguru road.
It was gathered that the sect also kidnapped the General
Manager of Borno State Water Board (BOWB), Alhaji Baba Gujbawu, in Maiduguri.
But JTF in a statement by its spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir
Musa, said security measures adopted by the task force Operation Restore Order
had made it difficult for the sect and other criminals to conduct successful
bank robbery operations in Borno State.
The task force said the sect resorted to this when it became
apparent to them that they were losing most of their members involved in
robbery since they were cut down by the security agencies.
Musa said: “Consequently, Intelligence available to the Task
Force has indicated that Boko Haram Terrorists have resolved to concentrate
more on kidnappings than robbery. They alleged that kidnapping is more
lucrative, less dangerous and requires short time to plan and execute.
“Similarly, a special kidnapping squad has been earmarked
and tasked by Boko Haram Sect to kidnap persons who could have wealthy
relatives, Politician, Businessman/woman, Traditional Ruler, Senior Civil
Servants and foreigners alike.”
He, therefore, alerted members of the public to be vigilant
about the trend, urging them to be wary and continue to be security conscious
at all times.
He said: “The public are advised to avoid or be very
sensitive to strangers and friends that have not been in contact for long.
Additionally, members of the public are also warned to avoid isolated areas and
shun meetings or friends found through telephones or social media.
“The JTF once again appreciate the cooperation and
understanding between members of the public and security agencies and to
reemphasise that security is a collective responsibility. Thus, the public are
reminded to give credible information to the JTF through their hotlines which
are operational at all time.”
In a related development, the JTF, while explaining how the
snatched police bullet proof patrol van was recovered from the sect in Yobe
State, stated that the snatched van was recovered from the suspected members of
the sect in Gashua, a border town with Niger Republic by the JTF.
THISDAY learnt that apart from the police bullet-proof
patrol vehicle, arms and ammunition were equally recovered from the fleeing
Boko Haram sect.
A source at the JTF headquarters in Damaturu revealed that
the bullet-proof vehicle was recovered at Maluria village in Gashua Local
Government Area of the state, along with other arms and ammunition used in
attacking the police station and the police area commander’s office on Nguru
Road.
In a statement by the spokesman of the JTF in Damaturu, Lt.
Eli Lazarus, stated that the recovered vehicle, arms and ammunition were used
in the attacks on the police station, bank and office of the police area
commander, where about N9 million cash was carted away by the gunmen, who were
dressed in police and army uniforms.
The statement reads in part: “Other arms and ammunition
recovered include; a general purpose machine Gun (GPMG), three K2 rifle, three
pumps action rifle and a riot gun, two smoke pistols, four Dane guns, two RPG
bombs, 15 hand grenades and one air rifle. 1,200 rounds of 7.62mm special
ammunition, three cartridges, several police uniforms and accessories, 10
bullet proof metal plates and gas masks were also recovered.”
Meanwhile, an eyewitness said Gujbawu, was ambushed by a
four-gang abductors at gunpoint, while preparing to hold a meeting at the Water
House, Maiduguri on Shehu Laminu Way, at about 9 a.m. on Saturday.
He said: “We were sitting here under this shade when four
gunmen in an unmarked vehicle parked at the gate, before they forcefully
bundled him into the vehicle; and zoomed off to unknown destination of the
metropolis at 7.35 a.m.
“People started running for safety, as soldiers rushed to
the scene to cordon the area and prevent further attacks and killings in this
area.”
The abduction of Gujbawu brings to six cases of major
kidnappings in recent time in Maiduguri.
Confirming the incident in Maiduguri, a senior police
officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Gujbawu was on Saturday abducted at gunpoint.
He lamented that no arrest has been made by either the JTF
or police as they were still on the trail for the suspected gunmen.
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