Yobe Govt Confirms Arrest Of Suspect Linked To Maiduguri Bomb Blast

A suspect, Ibrahim Mohammed, alleged to be involved in the December 24 bomb blast in Maiduguri Mosque, was arrested by a vigilante group in Damaturu, Yobe.

Mohammed was subsequently handed over to troops of Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Joint Task Force North-East.

Retired Brig.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, disclosed this in Damaturu on Wednesday.

NAN reports that the vigilante is a component of the state security system, funded by the state government and controlled by the military operationally.

Abubakar said the suspect was arrested by the group on December 29, when he was allegedly assigned by insurgents to spy on the deployments and locations of troops and vigilante members in Yobe.

He said the troops and sister agencies participated in profiling Mohammed before he was later transferred to the Theatre Command headquarters, OPHK, Maiduguri in Borno.

The official expressed optimism that after the interrogation, useful information would be obtained from the suspect for possible arrest of his collaborators, including the leaders of his cell.

Abubakar said the suspect also revealed that he earlier planted another bomb in a market in Maiduguri, urging the relevant security agencies to make efforts to defuse it.

He appealed to the citizenry to always assist security operatives with credible information to fight crime.

“These criminals are not spirits or angels; they are human beings like us.

“The vigilantes, because of their training, were able to pick him out. And that has paid off.

“That is why we are calling on the populace to continue to support the military and other security agencies so as to have peace in the state and country at large,” Abubakar said.