Army averts disaster at IDP camp, arrests a-11 year child suicide bomber

By OKOSUN OKHUELEIGBE

What would have been a moment of sadness and lamentation for the nation was once again avoided by vigilant troops attached to the 7 Division Garrison, who are saddled with the responsibility of providing security at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Dalori in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, as they arrested a potential suicide bomber.

The 11-year old boy, Master Usman Modu Tella a potential suicide bomber was arrested with another senior Boko Haram member, Alhaji Kerewu Abubakar at the camp. He was arrested after the teenager identified him.

According to the military authority, he was said to be suspect number 82 on the poster containing the photographs of 100 wanted suspected Boko Haram terrorists released by the Nigerian Army recently.

The Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman who confirmed the arrest said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is from Bama town and is among four other children trained for suicide bombing by the Boko Haram terrorists.

He disclosed that the three had already carried out their missions at different locations noting that his job was to explode bomb in the camp anytime soon.

It will be 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, and this also brought about an unprecedented influx of IDPs to the camp which the terrorists took advantage and infiltrated in order to wreck more havoc among the society.

With this development, the military added that there was going to be intensified 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 a way of assisting with investigation that would lead to the arrest of more suspected terrorists in the camp and elsewhere.