Police arrest two Boko Haram commanders in Borno

Police in Borno on Friday, said they had arrested two “high profile’’ Boko Haram commanders believed to have participated in attacks on security locations in Nigeria and Cameroon.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, made this known in Maiduguri while briefing newsmen.

Aliyu said that one of the suspects, Ali Ibrahim, was arrested on Jan. 6, at about 1 p.m. by Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) personnel at Dikwa low-cost estate in Maiduguri metropolis.

He said that during preliminary investigation conducted by men of the command, the suspect confessed to have been part of many attacks on security locations in which military weapons were carted away.

“He claimed to have escaped from one of their camps in Cameroun Republic after denouncing membership.’’

Aliyu said that the command also apprehended one Umar Abatcha, another Boko Haram member who escaped to Lagos and was arrested when he returned on May 13, at Bulabulin area of Maiduguri.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to be a member of Boko Haram and claimed that he returned to Maiduguri thinking that nobody will recognise him,’’ he said.

Interviewed, the suspects told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that they were conscripted to join the group by their friends.

Abacha, popularly known as “Skely” in Gwange Sabon Layi in Maiduguri, said that he was forced to pick arm to fight with the military, adding that his first assignment was killing a teacher and three of his close friends.

He said that he ran away when he was tired of everything he was doing.

On his part, Ibrahim said he spent four years with the group at Banki and carried out attacks in the shores of Lake Chad and Cameroon.

“I beg for forgiveness for all the crimes and atrocities I was forced to commit while I was with Boko Haram,” he said.