MAIDUGURI (Sundiata Post) – Troops of 7 Division Garrison, Nigerian Army, providing security at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Dalori in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, on Tuesday afternoon apprehended an 11-year-old boy, Usman Modu Tella, said to be a potential suicide bomber.
Eleven-year-old Master Usman Mordu Tella, suspected trained suicide bomber
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement, said that Tella is the “suspect number 82 on the poster containing the photographs of 100 wanted suspected Boko Haram terrorists released by the Nigerian Army”.
Usman said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was from Bama town and is among four other children trained for suicide bombing by Boko Haram terrorists.
According to him, the suspect testified that three others have already carried out their missions at different locations, adding that “his job was to do same in the camp sometime in the future”.
“The boy also pointed out one other Boko Haram senior member, Alhaji Kerewu Abubakar at the camp,” Usman said.
The DAPR recalled that due to the concerted efforts of the military quite a number of towns and villages hitherto held by the Boko Haram terrorists were liberated, this brought about an unprecedented influx of IDPs to the camp which the terrorists took advantage of and infiltrated in order to wreak more havoc.
He said that “the case of these suspects clearly indicated this point hence the need for proper screening of all IDPs with a view to ascertaining their true identity.
“The apprehension of the suspects is a boost to the fight against terrorism and insurgency in that they were assisting with investigation that would lead to the arrest of more suspected terrorists in the camp and elsewhere”.
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In the same vein, military sources have revealed that some terrorists have not only infiltrated villages and communities but successfully integrated themselves amongst the IDPs.
Our correspondent gathered that with the growing success of the military in territorial battles, the terrorists have changed tactics, mixing up with the civil populace from where they can carry out suicide bombings and guerilla attacks.
“The heat is on them, and they have relied on hit-and-run tactics. As the troops gained more territories, they have smartly blended with the civil populace and that’s what you are seeing in the IDPs and other communities,” the source said.
