TheCable

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has foiled a plot by Boko Haram to attack soft targets in Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Borno states during Sallah celebrations.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, an agent of the service said one Bashir Mohammed, a Boko Haram explosive‎ expert who was facilitating the attack in Kano was arrested on Tuesday.

He disclosed that eight rifles, 20 loaded AK-47 magazines, ‎27 hand grenades, 793 rounds of live ammunition and other items were recovered from his residence.

“In the past few weeks, this service has uncovered a sinister plot by terrorist elements to stage series of coordinated attacks using explosives in different cities across the country,” the agent said.

“Their aim was to hit on soft targets such as markets, public parks, public processions, recreation centres as well as worship centres especially the Eid praying grounds and other densely populated areas during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration. The latest plan by the terrorists was to unleash mayhem on Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri.

Arms paraded at the briefing

“Consequently, the service wishes to announce that the planned terrorist attacks in Kano and aforementioned states have been nipped in the bud. This followed the arrest of Yusuf Adamu and Abdumuminu Haladu in the early hours of today in Sokoto. However, the service had earlier arrested the facilitator of the Kano attack, an explosive expert by name Bashir Mohammed.”

The DSS also warned the Islamic Movement of Nigeria to shelve it planned procession in the federal capital territory (FCT) for security reasons.

It added that “terrorist elements” have planned to infiltrate the ranks of the group to unleash violence in the city.