Civilian Joint Task Force arrest six members of Boko Haram who sought refuge in Lagos

MEMBERS of the Civilian Joint Task Force have arrested six members of Boko Haram in Lagos and handed them over to the authorities after they fled from Borno State in response to the military offensive there.

 

In the first such development of its kind, the vigilantes who are also from northeastern Nigeria, apprehended the six suspects at different locations in Lagos. Upon arrest, they all confessed to be indigenes of Borno State, disclosing that they fled Bama, Baga and Konduga local government areas of Borno State, following the offensive against insurgents there.

 

They gave their identities as Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Ahmed, Babagana Blam Ali, Goigoi Kamsalem, Ibrahim Mohammed and Adams. Head of the civilian Joint Task Force, the Mai- Kanuribe of Lagos and Seriki Hausawa of Ijora Kingdom, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed, revealed that Ibrahim Ali and Babagana Blam Ali, who hail from Bama and Konduga local government areas respectively, were arrested at Isheri-Ojodu Berger.

 

He added that Goigoi Kamsalem, Ibrahim Mohammed both from Bama and Abubakar Ahmed of Baga council areas, were apprehended at a hideout in Victoria Island. The sixth suspect, Adam, he added, was arrested close to a church in Festac Town.

 

Alhaji Mohammed hinted that his group was spread across 57 local government areas in Lagos and Ogun states and had been in operation for five years, with the aim of nipping activities of Boko Haram sect in both states in the bud. He added that his group had made several arrests in the past, with the suspects handed over to Department of State Service, the Police with some transferred to Maiduguri.

 

“One of their leaders that was hiding at a church in Festac town was arrested and handed over to security agents. You know we are from Borno State where these people also hail from and we know their communities.

 

"Our people back home do monitor them,and once they leave Maiduguri, we would be alerted so that we can be on the lookout. Once they arrive any community in Lagos, our members are always on ground to fish them out base on intelligence report and once they are arrested, we hand them over to security agencies for further investigation and prosecution," Alhaji Mohammed added.

 

Following their arrest, the six suspects were moved to Borno State yesterday morning on the directive of security operatives. It is not yet clear if the six men will be charged with offences or granted an amnesty.