The police high command, Abuja, has announced the arrest of three members of the Ansaru terrorist group for their alleged involvement in the attack on the Emir of Potiskum, Umar Bubaram.
Force Police Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, in a statement, yesterday, named the suspects as Isah (a..a Babban Driver), 32, Saminu (a.k.a Danmunafiki ), 21, and Usman, 22.
DCP Mba said the suspects were members of a terror group, Ansaru, which has operated in northern Nigeria for about a decade. He said the arrest followed sustained mop-up operations by police operatives at the operational base of the Ansaru group in Kuduru forest, Birnin-Gwari.
Mba, said the recent arrest brought the number of suspects arrested in connection with the January attack to eight.
In January, gunmen attacked the emir’s convoy, killed 30 persons and abducted no fewer than 100 others. Four of the slain victims were aides of the emir.
Mr Mba said the suspects were assisting police investigators with useful information relating to the operations of the terror group.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the arrested suspects were actively involved in the recent attack and attempted kidnap of the Emir of Potiskum that resulted in the gruesome killing of the Emir’s police escorts,” he said.
He said the suspects were also involved in several other kidnap operations and terror attacks on commuters and other innocent citizens along some major highways, especially in the Northwest and North-central states of the country.
“Unfortunately, investigation also revealed that some citizens, especially those within the business community, give tacit support to the terror groups by deliberately doing businesses with them through the supply of essential goods, drugs (licit/illicit) and other services.
“While police operatives are on the close trail of other fleeing members of the terror group and their collaborators, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has expressed immense appreciation to all and sundry, especially the good people of Birnin-Gwari and environs for their understanding, cooperation and support which have resulted in the measure of successes recorded so far particularly in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and other heinous crimes in the country,” Mr Mba said.