lunes, 1 de octubre de 2012

Two Killed, Many Arrested in Zaria JTF Operation - AllAfrica.com

Zaria — Fierce fighting between a combined team of soldiers, State Security Service (SSS) personnel and police with suspected members of the Jama'atul Ahlus Sunna Lid Da'awati Jihad also called as Boko Haram in the early hours of yesterday in Zaria led to the death of two persons. Over 20 houses were also destroyed while scores of people were arrested.

The early morning raid on the suspected Boko Haram hideout in Gaskiya, Zaria residential left many people injured and created panic and anxiety among residents in the city.

Spokesman of Army Depot, Zaria, Captain Ibrahim Abdullah, and that of Army 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna, Colonel Sani K. Usman, both confirmed the incident.

Captain Abdullahi said in a statement that the raid followed a tip off that the Boko Haram members were planning a major suicide mission in Zaria, Kaduna and Suleja "to coincide with the Independence Anniversary."

Colonel Usman who gave details of the operation said: "I can confirm to you that this morning (yesterday), based on information received, a combined team of Army and SSS conducted a search operation at No. 15 Ali Street Gaskiya, Zaria. Some Boko Haram terrorists were killed and wounded. Two AK 47 weapons were also recovered. The building contained 20 gallons of H2SO4, 25 litres each. 10 bags of fertilizers, two rolls of det cord and primed IED in 2 drums were also recovered from the house.

"The building was demolished. Phones picked from the building have been handed to SSS for further action. Search of neighbouring buildings is still in progress."

Signs of trouble began to emerge at about 2:15am yesterday when sounds of gunshots became palpable at Shehu Idris Street in the Gaskiya layout. The exchange of fire lasted for several hours, as some residents around the troubled area took cover in their roofs before the soldiers moved in to evacuate them to safety.

A neighbour of the suspected Boko Haram members, who craved anonymity, said the suspects moved into the house about a month ago.

"I saw the man once when he came to me to introduce himself. He came here about one month ago to ask me if I am the owner of my house. When I answered affirmatively, he said he is my neighbour. He said he had rented the house close to mine. I asked him what he does for a living, and he told me that he specialised in repairing big trucks, and he usually goes to Abuja for his mechanic business. That was my last encounter with him," the neighbour said.

An independent security source told our correspondent that the name of the prime suspect is Husseini.

"He has a friend that lived with him in the house and his name is Sani. The name of his wife is Fati and she is now with us. Her two brothers; Ibrahim and Alhaji as well as her son of about 2 years also lived in the house. There were three cars in the house when we entered; two 406 and a Honda. We also recovered about 15 grenades.

"Two people were killed. Aside the wife, we also captured one Musa Ibrahim in the house. Musa lives in Kaduna. The wife of the prime suspect, who was killed, told us that they came from Maiduguri. She said her husband told her parents that he was going to enrol her in a school here in Zaria. He told her parents, according to her, that he was not a member of Boko Haram. However, one day, according to her, she saw a gun in his room and when she showed concern, he convinced her that it was meant for self defence.

"If not for our prompt intervention, their plan was to carry out attacks in Zaria and Kaduna today (yesterday) but we were able to track them," the source said.

After the Gaskiya episode, the Zaria Police Area Commander, Sani Maigana, led a team of police anti-bomb squad to detonate another bomb that was planted at a junction that leads to the Gaskiya layout.

The suspects' hideout is a stone throw from Darul Hadith, school of the prominent Zaria-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Awwal Adam Albani. Yesterday's scenes fuelled speculations that the suspected Boko Haram members might have planned to attack the school. Sheikh Albani was seen going about his normal business in the school yesterday.

As at the time of filing this report, residents of Zaria were going about their normal business. Conventional police personnel were however seen guarding the scene of the attack.

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