Alarm as IS infiltrates more Nigeria states
LAGOS: Members of the Islamic State (IS) have been arrested in states in Nigeria including Edo, South South, Kogi in central Nigeria, and Benue, another north-central state where more than 47 innocent citizens were killed by armed herdsmen on January 1 and 2 this year.
According to a News Agency of Nigeria report, the information is contained in a security report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari. It quoted the report as saying many members of IS in West Africa (Iswa) have infiltrated Nigeria, especially the North Central and South South areas.
The report added that a good number of the IS terrorists were arrested in the South South state of Edo, specifically in Akoko-Edo, Okpella and Benin as well as in Okene, Kogi state.
The agency further quoted the report as indicating that the Iswa network was using foreign terrorists and recruiting young Nigerian men to fight and kill civilians, ostensibly to exacerbate tensions along the county’s ethnic, religious and regional fault lines.
It also quoted a presidency source as stating that the uncovering of the Iswa involvement in the orgy of killings in some parts in recent times was made following the arrest of several suspected attackers including herdsmen, state government-sponsored militias, militants and other miscreants in Benue State.
The source, according to the agency, revealed that among those in custody were many who spoke none of the languages native to Nigeria but the French language.
This is the first time security officials have confirmed that IS in West Africa members are operating as a unit in Nigeria, and the level of their occupation of the country.
“It is understood that the cell, which has members in different parts of the country, concentrates on recruiting young men to fight for IS in West Africa by unleashing the cold-blooded murder of innocent citizens.
“There was intelligence that they had planned several attacks here, before and during Christmas and the new year. Their bombing targets included fuel depots, foreign missions and police and military establishments.
“Their network is very wide. But so much was achieved by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) which had made a significant number of arrests in the past two months that helped to pre-empt those attacks and saved Nigeria from the spate of major terrorist attacks witnessed elsewhere that were syndicated by IS worldwide,” the source was quoted as saying.
The news agency said the reports submitted to the presidency had also revealed that security officials now fear an influx of other IS members into many parts of the country.
“We are learning more and more about this complex and sophisticated network. This is the main reason why the secret service is not parading those suspects so far arrested.
“It has become clear to us by now that the challenge facing this coun- try is a serious one,” it said.
Mallam Garba Shehu, senior special assistant on media and publicity to President Buhari, confirmed that the president had been receiving report upon report on the situation in Benue and other states of the federation.
He said while the DSS had recorded many success lately, he had not yet been briefed on any of the reports.
Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris said on Friday at the closing ceremony of the five-day National Counter Terrorism Incident Commanders’ Management Course held in Benin, the Edo State capital, that 147 officers of the Nigeria Police Force and sister security agencies in the zone had been trained to counter terrorism.
Idris, represented by Commissioner of Police in Edo, Johnson Kokumo, said the force would continue to synergise with sister security agencies to counter terrorism in Nigeria. – African News Agency (ANA)