DSS Arrests Top Islamic State Leader In Kano, Foils Attack On Abuja, 6 States

A top commander of the Islamic State for West Africa (ISWA), Husseini Mai-Tangaran, has been arrested by Nigeria’s Department of State Service (DSS).

The DSS said Mai-Tangaran was accosted and arrested on August 31 while making preparations for some terrorist members to attack Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The DSS, in a statement by its spokesperson, Tony Opuiyo, said the aforementioned had planned to commence the attacks from September 1 to 4 before the arrest was made.

“This service wish to inform the general public that it has uncovered and foiled sinister plans by Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) terrorists to cause mayhem and destruction that would have disrupted the Eid-Kabir Sallah festivities of 1st – 4th September, 2017.

“The plan was to conduct gun attacks and suic*de bombing on selected targets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno states,”

“The mastermind of the operation is Husseini MAI-TANGARAN, a well-known senior ISWA commander who has been on the service and Nigeria Army radar since 2012, when he spearheaded the armed attacks on the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone I, on 20th January, 2012, as well as other public places in Kano.

“MAI-TANGARAN was also responsible for the deadly explosive attacks against worshippers at the Kano Central Mosque as well as an attack on a military formation in Yobe State in 2015, which claimed hundreds of lives,” said the DSS spokesperson.