JTF destroys another bomb factory in Kano

By AbdulSalam Muhammad
KANO—THE Joint Military
Taskforce, JTF, yesterday,
raided and destroyed a ‘bomb
factory’ at Bubugaje, suburb
of Sharada Industrial estate in
Kano after three hours of
combat operation
The bomb factory, which
served as hideout for
terrorists, located within the
isolated area of the suburb
was attacked by the military
that deployed no fewer than
three armoured tanks, and
over a hundred men for the
operations.
One of the suspected
terrorists was killed during
the operation, while the
taskforce rescued three
women including two who are
nursing mothers, a maid and
two weeks old baby. One of
the women rescued from the
operation who identified
herself as Fati Ibrahim
Muhammad claimed to be a
Camerounian and was
betrothed to one Ibrahim
Muhammad a year ago who
was arrested after escaping
from the house
Addressing newsmen at the
scene, the Commander 3
Motorized Division of the
Nigerian Army, Kano, Brigadier
General Iliyasu Isa Abbah said
that “terrorists used this
place as a bomb factory and a
hideout”, adding that one of
the masterminds of BUK
church shooting was killed in
the encounter.
Brigadier Iliyasu Abbah further
revealed that the factory and
the entire village had been
identified as ’black spot,
adding that intelligence
reports indicated that “these
same people trailed and killed
a soldier in the area last
week. This house serves as
both bomb factory and
hideout for terrorists, we got
a report and our men were
here to do what they know
best, and professionally all the
women and children trapped
inside during the operation
have been rescued alive.”
The JTF boss in company of
the Kano State Commissioner
of Police, Idris Ibrahim and his
counterpart from Directorate
of State Service warned that
henceforth any property
identified as “bomb making
factory and hideout by the
terrorist” will be destroyed,
and therefore called on
property owner to be mindful
of those they engage in
tenants.
General Iliyasu Isa Abbah who
admitted that the military are
fighting a difficult war against
the backdrop of guerilla
tactics of the suspected
militants, however, declared
that “it a war we must win
for our fatherland. You know
this is the most difficult fight,
especially when you are
dealing with terrorists,
because they know us but we
don’t know them.”
Items recovered from the
suspected bomb factory
includes multiple SIM cards and
modems, bank teller, AK 47
assault riffle, 7.2 c2mm
specials, 458 round of
ammunition, nine rounds of
5.6mm specials, two laptops,
and several wired high caliber
explosives.
Other items recovered from
the scene include personal
documents of the arrested
suspect, 35 assorted small
caliber IED’s, 35 knives, several
jerry cans , fertilizer, HW
batteries, vehicle plate
numbers, motorbike and
dozens of remote control.
The Brigade commander
commended the general public
for the cooperation adding
that the Command will
continue to treat their
information with ‘utmost
confidence’.
The envoy also said that
Nigerians were not also left
out of the effects of the ban
on vehicular movement of
goods and services.
Omaki said: “the effect is both
ways. As I said 80 per cent of
goods and services to Chad
come from Nigeria, so
automatically, Nigerian
business people are also losing
because those goods are not
coming.
“The Chadians who are the
recipients of these goods and
services are also losing
because they are not getting
them and if they have to get
them.”
Speaking on Nigeria-Chad
bilateral relations, Omaki said
that the central issue of the
agreement was on security,
particularly as it concerned
Nigeria.
He noted that Chad is
strategically located between
North Africa, East Africa and
Central Africa where there
had been extreme religious
and political tensions.
“All of them melt into Chad
from where they can now find
there bearing into
neighbouring countries and
the largest heat is of course,
Nigeria.
“So Chad is of a strategic
importance to Nigeria and I
think we should re-evaluate
our relationship on that basis
on the fact that this country
is a major corridor between
Nigeria and other countries
around Africa.”
He said that since the Chadian
independence on Aug. 11,
1960, about two months
before that of Nigeria, that
country had been in one form
of crisis or the other until
recent times.
Omaki said the quantum of
crises in Chad at that time led
many of its citizens to find
new abode in some Nigerian
cities like Maiduguri, Kano, Jos
and Lagos.
“I was told by the Consular-
General of Chad in Lagos that
there are more than one
million Chadians in Lagos area
alone.
“In Maiduguri, they have the
largest and also in Maiduguri,
there are certain quarters
that are basically Chadian.
“Most of these people who
are there, their children are
of necessity already Nigerians
because of their birth.
“Most of them were born
there, they grow up there,
they don’t know any other
country except to say I am a
Nigerian with Chadian blood.”
Omaki said he was optimistic
that the security situation in
Nigeria would improve to pave
way for the opening of the
borders and the resumption
of normal economic and
trading activities between
Nigeria and its neighbours.

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

Source: Vanguard Newspaper