CHRIS OLUKOLADE: Nigerian Troops Bust Terrorists' Intelligence Network, Arrest A Key Actor In Chibok Abduction

A terrorists’ intelligence cell headed by a businessman who participated actively in the abduction of School Girls in Chibok has been busted by troops. The man, Babuji Ya’ari who is also a member of the Youth Vigilante Group popularly known as Civilian JTF which he uses as cover while remaining an active terrorist, also spearheaded the murder of the Emir of Gwoza. His main role in the group is 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.

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 them, Hafsat Bako had 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.

Sultan of Sokoto condemns Boko Haram attacks on Muslims

The President General of the umbrella body for Muslims in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned what he described as repeated and ungodly acts of terror being unleashed on Muslims by the dreaded Islamist Sects, Boko Haram. In a statement yesterday in Kaduna, Sultan directed Muslims to pray for the restoration of peace and security in the country.


The Sultan, in a statement signed by the Secretary General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Aliyu Abubakar, condemned what we described as the “repeated ungodly acts of terror being unleashed on the Muslims.” The statement also condemned the attack on three Emirs by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members which led to the killing of the Emir of Gwoza in Borno State, and asked the federal government to wake up to its responsibilities of protecting the lives of Nigerians.

UPDATES: Body of Emir of Gwoza recovered – DHQ

The Nigeria's Military Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Friday said the body of Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idris Timta, who died when Boko Haram gunmen attacked a convoy of three emirs had been recovered. The gunmen attacked the convoy of emirs of Gwoza, Uba and Askira who were travelling to Gombe for the funeral of the late Emir of Gombe.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information. The statement said that troops deployed in Garkida responded to the attack and the emirs of Uba and Askira were secured.

It said that troops were currently on patrol along the entire route with a view to apprehending the perpetrators and keeping the area safe. According to the statement, the troops of the Special Task Force (STF) operating in the North-Central part of the country have led to the arrest of 23 members of armed gangs terrorising the area.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT - Femi Fani-Kayode

Hardly had the hope and inspiration that the President's Democracy Day speech and new found valour set in when, the very next day, we heard some very bad news: Boko Haram had struck again.

This time their targets were not defenceless and innocent little girls and boys at their schools but first class traditional rulers. The killing of the Emir of Gwoza and the abduction of two other Emirs by the terrorists on Friday morning is an indication of the fact that the activities of the Islamist terrorists in Nigeria has reached a new level of barbarity.

It is time for the whole nation, whether they be christians, muslims or traditional worshippers, to come together, close ranks, join hands and cleanse our land of the Haramites and their secret sponsors once and for all.