TheCable

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has arrested Bello Danhajiya, the presumed deputy of Khalid Al-Barnawi, the right-hand man of Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader.

The secret police paraded Danhajiya (pictured, left) and some suspects allegedly involved in defrauding ‎top personalities before journalists on Wednesday.

“You may recall that last week, this service informed the public of the arrest of Khalid Al-Barnawi, known for his leadership and notoriety in terrorism activities in Nigeria,” Garba Abdullahi, an agent of the DSS, told the press.

“Nigerians were also informed of his talent-spotting and recruitment of young people into the Ansaru/Boko Haram terrorist groups. With the arrest of Al-Barnawi, the Department of State Services (DSS) has made an uncommon success in the decimation of these groups and their leadership.”

“Similarly, the service wishes to inform that it has further arrested Bello Danhajiya, a close associate and presumed second in command to Al-Barnawi.

“Danhajiya is a Fulani from Zamfara State and a strategic accomplice of Al-Barnawi. Preliminary investigations have disclosed his involvement in gun-running, cattle rustling and other nefarious criminal activities principally on the directives of his commander, Al-Barnawi. So far, efforts are being made to conclude the investigations and commence prosecution in line with the law.”

Danhajiya wobbling to the press conference

Al-Barnawi’s arrest by the DSS was first announced on April 1 by Ahmad Salkida, a journalist known for his access to top Boko Haram commanders.

The DSS itself then confirmed the arrest two days later.

“Yes, it is true. He has been arrested,” Rabe Abubakar, defence spokesman, told TheCable. “The most important thing is the breakthrough the security agencies have achieved. Not only Albarnawi, other commanders in the Boko Haram hierarchy were arrested recently.”

In a subsequent release on the insurgent, DSS revealed that Al-Barnawi, a founding member of the Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid Da’wah Wa’l-Jihad (Boko Haram) and later the Amir of the breakaway faction, Jama’at Ansarul Muslimim Fi Biladi Sudan (JAMBS), had been coordinating terrorist activities in Nigeria, while talent-spotting and recruiting vulnerable young and able Nigerians for terrorist training by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in North African states and the Middle-East.

It particularly said Al-Barnawi was responsible for the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, on August 26, 2011.

Meanwhile, the suspects arrested for fraud are Aminu Ado, whom the DSS said confessed to defrauding Theophilus Danjuma of N1m; David Michika, who allegedly impersonated the secretary to the government of the federation; Umar Hamza and James Akune, who allegedly duped contractors by promising them jobs at the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; and Kazeem Usman, who allegedly impersonated Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.