A 10-year-old girl, strapped with explosives, was
among the three suspected members of the Boko Haram arrested by Nigerian security forces in Katsina, on Tuesday.
The suspects, who were arrested about 10.00
p.m on Zaria Road, Tudun Wada area of Funtua
metropolis, were Iliya Dahiru (male), Zainab Musa, 18 and the 10-year-old Hadiza Musa.
Coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, made this known on Wednesday,
while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
“The suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV.
When they were directed to disembark for
security checks, 10-year-old Hadiza was
discovered to have been strapped with an
explosive belt and immediately, Iliya and Zainab
made attempt to escape with the car, but were
later blocked by other concerned Nigerians and
subsequently arrested,” Omeri said.
He, however, appealed to parents to monitor
closely, activities of their children, to prevent
them from any act of terrorism.
“It is on this note that we appeal to parents to
consciously observe and watch their children’s
activities, in order to prevent them from
participating in unwholesome activities,
particularly terrorism,” he said.
The coordinator also expressed appreciation at
the level of consciousness of Nigerians on security issues and their contributions towards containing the acts of insurgents.
Also speaking, the Force Police Public Relation
Officer, Frank Mba, said that the use of female
suicide bombers was not new in the world, but
new to Nigeria.
He said women raised fewer suspicion, especially
where there is security layers, adding that the
insurgents had taken advantage of this to recruit female bombers. Mba, who said the Nigerian culture does not allow male security operatives to search women,
revealed that the security agencies were
developing counter-terrorism strategy, by
increasing the number of female security
personnel in the stop-and-check areas.
However, female bomber struck at the Kano State Polytechnic, Kano, on Wednesday, around 2.30 p.m., leaving three persons dead and 13 injured.
The latest incident brings to four, number of
female suicide bombers that had blown
themselves up in Kano lately.
The bomber detonated the bomb after she had
entered the premises of the school and had
mixed with graduates who had gone to the school
to collect their call-up letter for the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
The bomber disguised and even put on hijab,
leaving no reason to suspect her before a loud
bang rented the air.
A source hinted that the incident caused
pandemonium in the school, as other students
hurriedly left the scene to avoid being caught up
in the explosion.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),
Magaji Musa Majiya, confirmed the death of two
persons and the bomber, saying that seven
others sustained varying degrees of injury.
The state police commissioner, Mr. Adenrele
Shinaba, advised the people to be careful,
especially with females wearing hijab, adding that
it was the new dimension to terrorism in the
state.
....goldmyne.tv/

Thanks to our security agents for beating their game