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SSS uncovers Boko Haram bomb factory







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Boko Haram bomb factory in Niger State. Inset: Recovered items
The State Security Service on Tuesday said it had uncovered a bomb factory at Hayin Nasarawa Iku, Niger State. The factory is operated by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The SSS said the factory was where Boko Haram members manufactured the Improvised Explosive Devices used to carry out bomb attacks.

Assistant Director, Public Relations, SSS, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, conducted journalists round the factory sited in a nondescript one-storey building in an impoverished part of the town.

Ogar also said the SSS had arrested five members of the violent Islamic sect, suspected of organising the bombing of the Independent National Electoral Commission office and the All Christian Fellowship Church, in Suleja, Niger State. The INEC office was bombed on April 8, while the church was attacked on July 10.


“The five suspects all confessed that the main supplier of the explosive materials used for their bombing operations is a miner from Nasarawa State who the Service eventually arrested on August 30, 2011.

“They also confessed that they took part in the killing of four policemen at a checkpoint at Dakwa-Deidei in Bwari Area Council of the FCT on May 22, 2011. The suspects will soon be charged to court,” Ogar told journalists.

The SSS spokesman did not disclose the names of the suspects, but she said they had all confessed to be members of the sect in the Suleja-Abuja axis under the direction and control of a “blood-thirsty Boko Haram leader who is at large.” Ogar did not also name the said Boko Haram leader.

Boko Haram commenced a bombing campaign against the government in 2007 in pursuit of its demand for the establishment of Islamic Sharia law in the country.

The group had claimed responsibility for the June 16 bombing of the Nigeria Police headquarters building in Abuja as well as the August 26 attack on the United Nations building, also in the Federal Capital city.

In all, over 750 people have been killed in attacks by Boko Haram.

Last week, the SSS also announced that it had arrested two suspects in connection with the UN building blast and declared one person said to be the mastermind of the attack wanted. Agency reports, however, revealed that the man declared wanted had earlier been arrested and detained in 2007 but was released.

Also, a US government cable released by Wikileaks, as reported by THE PUNCH on Tuesday, revealed that Northern traditional rulers and the SSS had an understanding to shield members of the group from jail.

Ogar said the items recovered from the arrested suspects included a Honda Civic car with registration number Borno AG 94 MNG, 200 pieces of detonators; a battery connected to a detonator; two damaged detonators; a locally made revolver; one gun butt; two knives; and 10 GSM handsets with SIM cards, among others.

She explained that a Nigeriene was also arrested on August 4 in the course of the investigation into the Suleja bombings and that the confession of the alien led to the arrest of a 31-year-old indigene of Imo State who converted to Islam in 2003.

According to Ogar, the Imo indigene who was brought up in the neighbouring Niger Republic confessed to be a member of Boko Haram as well as having worked in concert with a third suspect from Kano State to carry out attacks on Suleja.

“Their confessions led to the arrest of two accomplices from Borno State,” Ogar added.

The SSS showed journalists the items said to have been recovered from the suspects. They include one ceiling fan coil, two laptops, 37 unused metallic oil filters, two metallic filters primed for bombing, two metallic cylinders and a clock connected to a primed bladeless ceiling fan with nine volts batteries ready for use. Others are pieces of shrapnel, red colour detonating cords, a Sony remote control, five battery chargers and a black bag containing detonating cables.
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