TheCable

Nigerian soldiers have uncovered a terrorists’ intelligence cell headed by a businessman who participated actively in the abduction of School Girls in Chibok, Borno State, the defence headquarters said on Monday evening.

The head of the cell was identified as Babuji Ya’ari, who is also a member of the youth vigilante group popularly known as Civilian JTF, which he allegedly uses as cover while remaining an active terrorist.

In addition, Babuji is believed to have spearheaded the murder of the emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idriss Timta; and his main role in the group was to spy and gather information for the terrorists group.

“Babuji has been coordinating several deadly attacks in Maiduguri since 2011, including the daring attacks on Customs and military locations, as well as the planting of IEDs in several locations in the town,” director of defence information, Major-General Chris Olukolade wrote in a statement.

“The arrest of the businessman, who is known to deal in tricycles, has also yielded some vital information and facilitated the arrest of other members of the terrorists’ intelligence cell who are women.”

One of those arrested, he revealed, is Hafsat Bako, who earlier escaped to Gombe State to avoid suspicion but was tracked and arrested.

“Prior to her arrest, Hafsat coordinated the payment of other operatives on the payroll of the group. In her confession, she disclosed that a minimum of N10,000 is paid to each operative, depending on the enormity of his task,” he said.

“Another female suspect named Haj Kaka who doubles as an armourer and a spy for the terrorists group has also been arrested.  Until their arrest, all the suspects actively operated a terrorists’ intelligence cell in collaboration with others still at large.”

Olukolade added that during the weekend, troops deployed in Goniri, Yobe State, had an encounter with terrorists, which resulted in casualties on both sides after the attack was successfully repelled.

It is unclear how Babuji’s arrest will influence the long-anticipated freedom of the girls kidnapped in the night of April 14, 2014, especially as local and international interest in the rescue mission continues waning.

Only on Sunday, the United States admitted cutting back on its operations to help in freeing the girls, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby saying US did not have “any better idea today than we did before about where these girls are”.