An alleged plot by suspected members of the
Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to unleash terror on Okene, Kogi State, came crashing
down at the weekend after the army and operatives of the State Security Service
(SSS) uncovered the plan and engaged them in a shoot-out.
Nine of the suspected
insurgents were killed while the army lost two of its men including an officer
in the exchange of fire. Two other SSS operatives were wounded.
The suspected terror group is
believed to be behind the insecurity in Ebiraland over the last few months.
The suspects, according to
sources, were traced to a building in Idoma area of Okene, following a tip-off.
It was gathered that once the
suspects sighted the security operatives they opened fire and the soldiers
responded. Some of the terrorists managed to escape only to take refuge in the
surrounding mountains from where they continued firing at the soldiers.
The Commander, Army Records,
Lokoja, General Alphonsus Chukwu, who led the operation, said his men were on
top of the situation.
He advised law abiding citizens
to go about their businesses.
Asked if the suspects were
members of Boko Haram he retorted: “We have gone beyond calling these people
Boko Haram. These are terrorists”.
He said his men would not leave
the trouble spot until the remaining terrorists were apprehended.
A Nigerian Air Force
helicopter- Apache- later joined in the operation, strafing the mountain with a
view to smoking out whatever remained of the insurgents.
The fleeing men abandoned some
canisters used in making bombs, two pistols and two toy pistols, among others.
Governor Idris Wada said in
Lokoja that government would foot the medical bills of the wounded security
agents.
The governor who visited the
Federal Medical Centre where the two injured were admitted, said government
would continue to work with the security agencies to rid the state of
criminals.
He called on security agents
not to be deterred in the task of making the state safe for the residents.
No comments:
Post a Comment