A top security operative has revealed that no fewer than six Boko Haram members have been arrested since last Tuesday’s twin blasts in Jos terminus market. This is even as a suspect confessed that over 100 insurgents were deployed to Jos township, the Plateau State capital in North Central Nigeria.
The senior security officer told our Correspondent that over 100 suicide bombers were deployed in Jos township alone, to carry out massive suicide bombardments of the hitherto peaceful Plateau.
He said: “Let me tell you, we are in serious trouble in this state. Do you know that since last Tuesday’s explosion more than six members of Boko Haram have been caught and arrested from various places within the city. All the tension and rumour you are hearing everywhere in town that some people were caught with bomb here and there in Jos are real. Don’t just call them rumour; they are real. We have discovered and arrested at least six of them since that Tuesday attack.”
According to report, one Boko Haram agent was apprehended last Friday at Mobile Police barrack, MOPOL 8 close to the Air Force base, Jos, and he had confessed that there were at least 100 of them deployed in Jos city to detonate explosives at identified points.
The suspect reportedly claimed that he was heading for the Airforce Hospital to deliver food to a patient on admission. But a security check on the suspect’s car revealed he was carrying explosives and he was immediately apprehended and the explosive disabled.
His arrest came on the heels of threat letters allegedly written by Boko Haram which were received at government establishments in the state capital.
The security source said, “These threats cannot be treated as mere threats, since after the twin bomb blast others explosives have been intercepted and the suspect is already helping the security agencies on information about their mission in Jos.”
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Jos, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin Kwashi, has raised the alarm that there are six bombs planted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, that were yet to explode, urging security agencies in Jos to comb and fish out the remaining bombs planted by members of the Boko Haram sect in the city.
“There were twin bomb explosions a few days ago in Jos in which many people were killed. Just yesterday when I was about to come to Minna, another bomb exploded in Jos. We are aware that one of the Boko Haram men arrested by the security has confessed that they planted 10 bombs in the city. We are also aware that one of the bombs has been seen and detonated by the police.
“But where are the remaining six? The Police must urgently search and recover the hidden bombs to save lives and property”, he pleaded.
The Special Task Force (STF) on the Jos crisis revealed that three people died from the failed suicide attack on a football viewing centre in the city on Saturday night.
It would be recalled that twin explosions rocked Jos, Plateau State, University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) area, inside the terminus market and left scores of people including two Policemen dead.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Frank Mbah, confirmed the incident, and put the casualty figure at close to100.
