It would have been a national tragedy had it occurred. But, according to intelligence sources, security agencies saved the situation.
The story is that insurgents allegedly planned to attack the plane of President Goodluck Jonathan while flying into Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Thursday for his two-day visit.
Borno is the hotbet of the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
The alleged recovery of three anti-aircraft guns, two technical vehicles
mounted with anti-aircraft stands and 10 rocket propelled grenades, in a cache
of arms, in Maiduguri, on Friday, lent credence to the claim of the plot to
attack the president's plane.
Besides the anti-aircraft guns and rocket propelled grenades, the
massive arms the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the day the president
left the state capital after the visit, include 17 AK rifles, general purpose
machine guns, three G3 rifles, 20 RPG bombs, 12 RPG chargers, 1 x 36 ,hand held
grenades, one tear gas rifle, 33 AK 47 magazines, 11 FN magazines, three G 3
magazines and 11,068 assorted ammunitions.
The twist to the story, however, is the claim by some security sources
that the Islamist group had hoped that the entire security apparatus in Borno
would be diverted for the president's visit, to enable it deploy the massive
arms to also attack the facilities where its members are being held in the
state with a view to setting them free.
Whatever may have been the Islamist group's plan, security agencies
alleged that close monitoring foiled it.
Spokesman for the JTF in Borno State, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, in a
statement emailed to journalists, yesterday, hinted that intelligence by
informants led to the foiling of the insurgents alleged plan.
The statement listed the cache of arms recovered during the Friday
operation while saying it was one of the JTF's operations to combat insurgents
in the last ten days. The statement reads: "Based on information and
intelligence report, series of operations were conducted by the Joint Task
Force Operation RESTORE ORDER in the last ten days in Borno State.
The latest was the one conducted at Bulabulin, Bayern Quarters and
Jajeri in Maiduguri metropolis between 3 - 8 pm yesterday Friday, 8 February,
2013. During these operations under the period stated, there were exchange of
fire that led to the death of 52 Boko Haram members including ten commanders of
the sect. 70 terrorists were also arrested. In the period under review, the JTF
lost two men, three were wounded and no civilian casualty was recorded. The
under listed weapons, ammunition, uniforms and other items were recovered in
yesterday's (Friday) operation:
3 anti aircraft guns; 10 rocket propelled grenade tubes; 3 general
purpose machine guns; 17 AK47 rifles; 3 G3 rifles; 1 pistol (lama);
20 RPG bombs; 12 RPG chargers; 1x 36 hand held grenade; 1 teargas rifle;
33 AK 47 magazines; 11 FN magazines; 3 G3 magazines; 11,068 assorted
ammunitions;
2 technical vehicles with mounted anti aircraft stands; 1 box of weapons
cleaning kit; 4 swords and two knifes; 5 walking talkies; 4 VHF hand held sets;
1 multi links router; and assorted uniforms and kits.
"The task force wishes to thank members of the public particularly
our moles in the Boko Haram's camp for giving us the information that assisted
in the successes so far recorded. Thus, members of the public are reminded to
continue to give credible and timely information to security agencies to combat
insecurity."
Sunday Vanguard learnt, yesterday, that security agencies have launched
investigations into how the weaponry which, in size, quality and quantity, were
capable of waging a full scale war either against air or land opposition and
with which targets kilometers away could be successfully taken out, were
assembled.
"The fact that assorted uniforms of security agencies, especially
those serving in the Joint Task Force were recovered in the Friday operation,
is fueling the intelligence that there was indeed a plan by the group and their
sponsors to breach the security of the president", a source added.
No comments:
Post a Comment