₦airaland Forum

Detained Boko Haram spokesman Abu Qaqa has told State Security Service (SSS) officials how suicide bombers are chosen among members of the sect.

He also listed those being used for suicide bombing as Chadians, Nigeriens, Camerounians, Hausa, Fulani and others, The Nation learnt yesterday.

According to a source, Qaqa told a team of investigators that once a member is chosen for a suicide mission, he has no option but to carry out the assignment.

The source added that any member who refuses to go on a suicide mission will instead face the death penalty.

The source said: “Based on the revelations of Qaqa, we have been able to invite more people for interaction for more clues.

“Our findings so far are appreciable because the suspect has been cooperative. At the appropriate time, the public will be briefed.”

The source quoted Qaqa as saying: “No suicide bomber of the group volunteers. They are usually handpicked. Once you are handpicked, it is death either way; if you refused, you would be killed on the orders of the leadership. So, many prefer the suicide bomb option, far away from their wives and children.

“At a point, some of us thought suicide bombing was ‘cowardice’, but confronting the leadership with such a position would’ve come with a price: death.

“What was bad about those handpicked for the suicide mission was that all of them were non-Kanuri. They were always Chadians, Nigeriens, Camerounians, Hausa, Fulani and others.

“No Kanuri. That was why some of us had divided opinion on it.”

Security chiefs are expected to meet with National Security Adviser (NSA) Owoye Azazi today to take stock of the fight against Boko Haram and plan how to address the resurgence of the group, which has been condemned by leading lights of Islam.

“One thing is clear, security agencies are on top of the situation,” a source said.

Also yesterday, the army launched a probe into how a suicide bomber, in military uniform, beat the heavy security at the two gates leading to its Dalet Barracks 1 Division in Kaduna.

It was also learnt that some soldiers on sentry duty at the two fortified gates have been arrested.

The Army is said to be working on a probable complicity of the sentry guards at the two gates for allegedly not checking the vehicle used by the bomber.

What was not in doubt yesterday was that the suicide bomber wore an army uniform to deceive the guards.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “A full-scale internal investigation has started into the aborted suicide bombing at the 1 Mechanised Division. Top officers of the Military Police and other intelligence units were on Tuesday night drafted to Kaduna from Abuja.”

The investigators are said to have started forensic examination and investigation of the other legs of the incident. The core area of investigation is how the suicide bomber passed through the two gates without detection, despite the gadgets installed there.

“The bomber, who was in uniform, was also allowed to pass without due security checks. This was contrary to the laid down guidelines by the Army. Even if you are in uniform, the standing rule is that you must be frisked or screened like anyone else.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “Certainly, those on sentry duties have been arrested for questioning.”

But the probe will not be open, said the source, who added: “This is a purely military probe; it is not something we will throw open. That was why we were secretive in handling the incident on Tuesday.”