Boko Haram to Infiltrate Army – DSS

The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned that members of Boko Haram, an extremist Islamist terrorist group were making plans to join the Nigerian Army.

Punch reports that this was disclosed by the spokesperson for the DSS, Mr Tony Opuiyo, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday claiming that two members of the sect, who were specialists in the making of Improvised Explosive Devices, were arrested in Kano before their desire to join the army was fulfilled.

“In response to the regrouping of Boko Haram elements in Kano State, the DSS in concert with the military, carried out coordinated operations in the state which led to the apprehension of two high-profile members of the sect,” Opuiyo stated.

“They are Ibrahim Abubakar and Idris Audu (a.k.a. AYA). Audu is an IED specialist who was being groomed to penetrate security agencies in the country.

 “Audu had already perfected plans to seek for recruitment into the next recruitment scheme of the Nigeria Army, before his arrest.”

He stated that the arrest of these two suspects was as a result of the sustained tactical and counter-terrorism operations of the service.

Opuiyo also stated that the service on August 22, arrested one Samuel Asuquo, who was described as a kidnap kingpin in Cross River State and fingered as the mastermind of the kidnap of three Australian staff of Lafarge Cement Company, for which his gang received a ransom of N150m.

While stating that the service was intensifying action against high-level fraudsters whose unwholesome activities were negatively affecting investors’ confidence, the spokesperson assured all law abiding citizens that the DSS was committed to a safer polity.