ABUJA — Eight suspected members of the Boko Haram sect accused of complicity in the kidnap and killing of a Briton, Christopher McManus and his Italian counterpart, Franco Lamolinara, in Sokoto on March 7, were yesterday paraded in Abuja by the State Security Service, SSS.
Three of the paraded suspects, Bashir Ibrahim (aka Adda’u), Ibrahim A. Habibu and Gambo Maiborodi, were aged between 19 and 20 years.
A set of the alleged killers: Bashir Ibrahim (aka Adda’u), Ibrahim A. Habibu and Gambo Maiborodi.
Other suspects were Mohammed Rabiu Adam (aka Dan Hajiya), Abubakar Abdulrahman Habibu, Shitu Salihu, Abubakar Umar and Ahmed Samaila.
SSS said its investigations revealed that the plot to abduct the foreigners who were staff of Stabilini Visinoni Construction Company, from their residence in Birnin Kebbi on May 12, 2011, was masterminded by the Abu Mohammed-led faction of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.
It added that the said Abu Mohammed died on March 9, 2012 following severe bullet wounds he sustained during a raid at his hideout at Layin Hanwa area of Zaria on March 7.
A statement by the SSS, yesterday, said: “After a painstaking investigation process, the Service made a number of arrests in Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi states. The following youths aged between 19 and 20 years, who were discovered to have conducted surveillance on the victims before their abduction, were subsequently arrested.
“Further investigations revealed that the plot was masterminded by the Abu Mohammed-led faction of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Following a raid on Abu Mohammed’s hideout at Layin Hanwa area of Zaria on March 7, 2012, Abu Mohammed and five others were arrested while holding a Shura Council (the sect’s highest decision making body) meeting.
“In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, a soldier was killed and his throat slashed while one service personnel was seriously injured by members of the Boko Haram sect. Abu Mohammed and the other suspects sustained various degrees of bullet wounds.
Order to kill captives
“Preliminary interrogation of the arrested suspects revealed that the guards protecting the two foreign hostages in Sokoto had been directed to kill them in the event of any envisaged threat. The arrested suspects, therefore, advised that a rescue operation be immediately initiated more so as one of them had escaped during the Zaria raid.
Mohammed Rabiu Adam (aka Dan Hajiya), Abubakar Abdulrahman Habibu, Shitu Salihu, Abubakar Umar and Ahmed Samaila who allegedly kidnapped and killed Christopher Mcmanus and Franco Lamolinara, expatriate staff of Stabilini Visinoni Construction Company in Birnin Kebbi, Sokoto State being paraded by the State Security Service, SSS, yesterday. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.
“Consequently, a joint security operation was launched. One of the arrested suspects, Mohammed Rabiu Adam (aka Dan Hajiya) who killed the soldier during the Zaria raid, led the security team from Zaria at about 11pm on Wednesday,March 7, 2012 to Sokoto and arrived their destination about 0430 hours on March 8, 2012.
“Prior to their arrival, security operatives had mounted a street cordon and search operation along all routes around Mabera Estate, Sokoto to prevent any attempt by the guards to smuggle out the hostages.
“Apparently acting on the directive of the members of the sect who escaped from Zaria, the guards murdered the hostages before the arrival of security forces. However, the guards could not leave the building because of the presence of security men in the area.
Exchange of gunfire
“Upon arrival of security forces at the building where the hostages were being held, there was a prolonged exchange of gunfire during which three of the guards were killed while the wife of one of them sustained bullet wounds and was rushed to the hospital. No life was lost on the part of security forces though some service personnel sustained gunshot injuries.”
“While the service commiserates with the families of the murdered expatriates, it wishes to reiterate that the long arm of the law will surely catch up with terrorists and perpetrators of evil wherever they are.
“Once more, we wish to appeal to Nigerians to remain sensitive to their environment and report suspicious activities to security agencies.”
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