About 87 of
the over 486 travellers arrested in Abia State have been identified as members
of the insurgent Boko Haram group.
The
travellers were arrested on Monday in Aba, along Enugu – Port Harcourt
Expressway, while travelling from Northern Nigeria to Port Harcourt in several
buses.
The Director
of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, had, in a statement on Tuesday, said a
wanted Boko Haram suspect was identified during the screening of those
arrested. He, however, did not name the suspect.
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Mr.
Olukolade also stated that those identified as possible security risks or
illegal immigrants would be separated from their colleagues for further action.
A top
security source, however, said on Thursday, that apart from the one earlier
identified, 86 others have been identified as suspected terrorists.
“But to be
double sure, we have called for additional screening,” he said.
He confirmed
that the suspects were all headed to Port Harcourt when they were arrested.
He
said that most of them, however, had never been to Port Harcourt before now and
some did not even have up to N1,000 on them.
He stated
that although no weapons were discovered on them, a certain kind of body marks
associated with terrorists was noted on them.
He disclosed
that the suspects were being held at 144 Battalion, close to Umuahia in Abia
State although the confirmed kingpin has been moved to a different location.
He, however,
refused to disclose the name of the confirmed kingpin, saying it could
jeopardise investigations, as some persons linked to him might try to escape
from the country if his name was mentioned.
“The kingpin
is making very useful statements. Initially, he was trying to deceive the
interrogators until he was confronted with fresh info,” the source said.
When Olukolade was approached with the information from the reliable source,
he declined comment.
“I cannot
say anything now, the screening is still ongoing,” Mr. Olukolade, a Major
General, said.
The arrest
of the travellers was the first major one of suspected Boko Haram insurgents by
security officials in eastern part of Nigeria.
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