The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Rogers Nicholas, has pledged a N5m reward for anyone with information about bomb factories in or around Maiduguri.
The Theatre Commander told journalists shortly before a security meeting with sister agencies and the civilian JTF in Maiduguri on Thursday that the army is convinced that there is a bomb-making factory within Maiduguri from where suicide bombers have been operating.
General Nicholas tasked the Civilian Joint Task Force and the recently inaugurated Neighbourhood Watch with intelligence gathering.
He also urged internally displaced persons who are returning to their communities to be vigilant and support the army as the task of providing security is a joint responsibility.
The move by the Theatre Commander follows recent bomb attacks in Borno State.
According to him, 35 suicide bombers have so far been taken out by security operatives in the theatre of operations while at least 25 have been arrested in recent months.
The theatre commander gave the assurance that the army would assist farmers in ploughing and demining farmlands.
He, however, warned that the use of fertilisers would be controlled to avoid making raw materials for producing IEDs readily available for criminals.
Major General Nicholas said over one million people held captive have been rescued between December 2017 to date.
The military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe State has uncovered a bomb making factory in Damaturu the state capital. The JTF spokesman in the state, Eli Lazarus who revealed this to Channels Television in Damaturu said the factory was discovered through a cordon and search operation at the Buhari Housing Estate along Gashua- Maiduguri ring road of Damaturu metropolis.
Items recovered according to him include several bomb making Items, ammunitions, Magazines as well as Military, Police and immigration Uniforms. Others include; medical supplies, tear gas canisters as well as two rifles.
Mr Lazarus also said in the process of the search JTF discovered a decomposed death body buried within the premises saying it might be a suspected Boko Haram member who could not make it in the process of the previous gun battles with the security forces.
He appeals to residents to be extra vigilant on activities going on within their vicinities and to report suspected persons to security agents for appropriate action.
This is happening barely one week after JTF recovered 5, 270 rounds of ammunitions and some arms in the Kandahar area also of Damaturu metropolis.
A combined team of security agencies have uncovered a bomb making factory in Zaria, Kaduna State, recovering Improvised Explosive devices in various stages of completion and arresting a 60- year old man, Umaru Mohammed in the process.
The raid which was carried out by a combined team of officers of the Nigerian Army, the Police and operatives of the State Security Service is coming barely four days after explosions rocked the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations in charge of the One Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, told journalists in his office that the exercise took place in the early hours of Thursday.
He also disclosed that in line with the resolve of security agents in the country to fight terrorism, the two bedroom bungalow housing the bomb factory has been demolished while the suspect and the items recovered are in custody.
Col. Usman said: “We invited you to inform you that following a tip off from well-meaning citizens of this country, a combined team of troops of the Nigerian Army, elements of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security carried out a cordon and search operation at Kwanar Shahada, Jushin Ciki, Zaria city, Kaduna State yesterday, Thursday, November 29, 2012 from 01300 -0800 hours (1.30-8.00am) local time.
“During the operation, a two bedroom bungalow of bomb factory was discovered in which Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in stage one of readiness and several IED making components were recovered as follows: 17 sensor mechanical timers (remote controls), 11 primed suicide bombers vests, 36 IEDs in bobo cans, one military kitbag with support items like saw, hammer, cello tape and gums, two gallons of paints containing prepared IEDs, two gallons of turkey oil brand with prepared IEDs, seven rolls of wires of various lengths, one bag containing several sensors and 25 nine volt batteries.
“A 60-year old man, Umaru Mohammed was arrested within the premises and in line with our resolve to deter terrorists, the building housing the factory was demolished. Both the suspect and the items recovered are in custody.
“Headquarter, 1 division, Nigerian Army would like to use this opportunity to commend the efforts of the well-meaning citizens that reported the matter and also reiterate our resolve to fight terrorism in this country.
“We also wish to appeal to the general public to report any suspicious movement, establishment or persons in their environment. We wish to assure you that any information provided would be treated with absolute confidentiality.”
36 Primed Improvised Explosive Devices in “Bobo” cansOne military kitbag with support items like saw, hammer, cello tapes and guns25 nine volt batteries2 paint bucket containing prepared IEDs and 2 gallons of turkey oil brand with prepared IEDs
The Niger State police command has discovered a bomb manufacturing factory in Maitunmbi area of Minna, the Niger state capital believed to belong to the dreaded radical Boko Haram sect
Acting on the tip-off by one of the five suspects in regard to the killing of three Policemen in two separate operations in the Minna last week, a team of armed plain cloth men stormed the sect’s bomb factory located behind a popular private school in the area at about 8:30pm on Saturday.
Item recovered during the raid which lasted about two hours included two 1.5gms gas cylinder cans already prepared for explosion.
Other lethal weapons found in the house include about 30 cans of disposable food beverage and soft drinks also stockpiled with explosives, 25 kilograms of fertiliser, batteries, remote control devices and other electrical gadgets.
An officer in the team that raided the bomb factory who spoke in confidence to Channels Television in Minna explained that the operation lasted for about two hours.
”We took our time before we stormed the bomb factory. We did not want to cause any chaos in the area and in the town. We also want to avoid any loss of lives and this we were able to achieve,” he said.
Efforts to get the residents of the sleepy town to speak to Channels Television failed as all the people approached refused to divulge any information about the house and its occupant.
When contacted the state Police Public Relations Officer, Pius Edobo refused to speak on the raid, but promised to give full details later.
The military Joint Task Force in Adamawa State said it has uncovered bomb factories in Mubi area of the state just as members of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram are reportedly making efforts to annex the town as one of their operational base in the north east region of the country due to its closeness to Borno state.
This latest discovery, which was confirmed by the Commander of the 23rd Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General John Nwaoga is coming barely 24 hours after the JTF raided an enclave of suspected gunmen, in which one suspected sect member was killed while 156 others were arrested and several arms and ammunition confiscated including improvised explosive devices.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa State government has extended the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on Mubi to 24 hours.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Kobis Thimnu who said that the extension was targeted at availing the JTF the opportunity to carry out the on-going “sweeping exercise” in Mubi.
Mr Thimnu therefore urged residents of the area to come out and assist security operatives with useful information that will lead to the apprehension of miscreants in the area.
The Joint Task Force in Kano state North West Nigeria has discovered a bomb factory at an isolated part of Tamburawa Bridge –an outskirt of Kano city. Three people suspected to be terrorists were arrested during the early morning raid by JTF in the area today.
Speaking to newsmen, the Director State Security Services in Kano Bassey Eteng said that a pre-emptive raid was carried out this morning at about 6am by the JTF and the operation was successful.
According to the director, most of the items recovered at the factory were likely to be used by the terrorists to launch an attack on Salah day but the intelligence report that was at the disposal of the security agency truncated the anticipated attacks.
Items recovered includes eight AK47 magazine, one SMG magazine, one SMG rifle, twelve primed IED, nine un primed IED, high calibre IED, assorted army uniform, chemicals used to make the bomb and six hundred and thirteen rounds of ammunition.
Meanwhile the director says there was no casualty of either party during the operations while stressing investigation will continue to uncover the hide out of any suspected terrorist across the state.
The Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) on Tuesday uncovered another bomb factory at Haye, a suburb of Hotoro Arewa quarters of Nasarawa local Government area of Kano state. The two bed room block of flat, converted to bomb factory by suspected members of dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, is neatly tucked within an isolated area of the slum.
JTF spokesman in Kano, Lt Ikediche Iweha while conducting reporters round the discovered hideout amid tight security said that the bomb factory was taken without resistance.
He said that two housewives and un-specify number of children were rescued from the house, adding that the focus of the JTF assignment in the city was designed to prevent civilian casualty.
The Army spokesman said that “we have been on the trail of this particular house for sometimes now and we feel last night was apt for the operation, so we mobilized men and equipment, stormed the factory by 2.00am”
He said that though a number of arrests were made but the principal suspect was not at home at the time of the operations.
Items recovered from the bomb factory included assorted IED’s, primed drum, assorted containers, liquid substance, charcoal, household items and Osama Bi laden video titled “Dead at Last”.
Lt Iweha commended the Kano people for assisting the JTF in its fight against terror assuring that “we would continue to treat your information with utmost confidentiality”.
The JTF spokesman however assured Kano residence that the bomb factory and others incriminating materials will be destroyed.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Kogi state has once again discovered another factory in a mountain cave at Esomi village on the Okene-ogori/Mangogo road, used by suspected boko haram members for making explosive devices.
The state director of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr Mike Fubara, who confirmed the discovery while speaking with Channels Television off camera in Lokoja, the state capital, stated that the joint patrol team found the factory while working on an intelligence report.
He explained that though no arrest was made in the operation, with the assistance of an air-force helicopter, the team was able to go into the hide out on the mountain which took them about three hours to climb.
Among the items recovered are gas cylinder, 44 grenades of different sizes, one double-barrel gun, one iron cramp, two iron cutters, 1.5kva generator, and gun powder.
A similar discovery was made in Adavi local government area of the state, early in the month.
The State Security Service (SSS) in Adamawa State on Tuesday said that it has uncovered a bomb manufacturing factory at Wurro Jabbe, a suburb of Yola the state capital. The factory is said to belong to the Islamic sect, Boko Haram. According to the SSS, preliminary investigation revealed that the sect had planned to attack some strategic locations within the state capital on Wednesday leading to their regrouping at Wurro Jabbe before security men intercepted some of their weapons.
Addressing a news conference in Yola, State Director of SSS, Olugbenga Jayeola told journalists that his men got a tipoff that a group of suspected terrorists were sported assembling at Wurro Jabbe planning to cause havoc on innocent citizens on Wednesday before his men invaded their hide out.
He said that preliminary investigation by the service reveals that the bomb factory belongs to one Abubakar Yola, a terrorist who is on the wanted list of the SSS.
Mr Jayeola said that no arrests were made adding that when the SSS stormed the bomb factory the wife and children of the wanted Abubakar Yola were the only ones found within the premises
The SSS boss further disclosed that items recovered from the factory included 30 electronic detonating materials, 22 Improvised Explosive Device, Synthetic gum, 50kg Ammonium nitrate, 17 safety fuse, 20 raps of phosphorus,6 high voltage battery, a motor cycle remote, Electrical soldering iron and one AK 47 magazine.
Security operatives in Kogi State today discovered a bomb factory suspected to belong to members of the radical sect Boko Haram, agencies reported today.
Unexploded Improvised Explosive Devices, five hand grenades and other bomb-making component were discovered in factory, an uncompleted four-bedroom building in Kabba in central Kogi state.
According to reports, the team of State Security Service agents, police officers and soldiers had raided the building at about 2p.m., following up on intelligence reports gathered during prior investigations.
An anti-bomb squad was on hand to safely recover the explosives and other components, such as NPK fertiliser and other chemicals used in IEDs, as well as cable wires, a transistor radio and other tech devices.
Mr. Cletus Nzeji, the Commander for the anti-bomb squad said the recovered items would be taken into evidence and further analysed.
He confirmed that the explosives recovered had been of a high calibre with the capacity to do major damage.
Nzeji assured that while no arrests have been made, investigations were ongoing to ascertain if the weapons belonged to robbers of members of the Boko Haram sect.
Last week, two members of the sect died in Kaduna state when military agents raided a bomb factory in the city.
Nzeji promised that the owners of the building in Kogi would be found out and the building will be demolished.
