- 400 IMN protesters in detention
The Nigeria Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, have arrested some members of the El-Zakzakky Islamic Movement of Nigeria who were armed with 31 bottles of petrol bomb planning to attack certain parts of the FCT.
CP Bala Ciroma, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, at a media briefing on Tuesday, 30th October, 2018, disclosed that the FCT Police Command in furtherance with its continuous effort to provide residents of the Federal Capital Territory with adequate security, protect lives and property and prevent any breakdown of law and order, intercepted and arrested some members of the El-Zakzakky Islamic Movement of Nigeria with 31 bottles of petrol bomb and other dangerous weapons being ferried into FCT by their members to cause mayhem and attack innocent citizens, including law enforcement agents deployed to protect lives and property.
The CP decried that it is unfortunate that members of the group during a violent protest on Tuesday, 30th October, 2018, without any provocation, went on rampage and burnt down a Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol vehicle deployed at Ademola Adetokumbo Crescent. He said that some arrests have, however, been made, adding that investigation is in progress.
CP Ciroma highlighted that on 30th October, 2018 at about 12.30 hours, police operatives on stop and search duty along Tipper Garage, Katampe, intercepted and arrested one Mustapha Abdullahi ‘m’ 20 years of Ungwan Gwari, Suleja, Niger State, with 18 bottles of petrol bombs carefully concealed in a travelling bag.
“To smuggle himself and the petrol bombs into the city, he disguised as a passenger and boarded a taxi with other unsuspecting passengers.
“He ran out of luck when the vigilant policemen on duty at the point upon reasonable suspicion, intercepted the cab and conduct a search on the only bag in the car, which had in it the improvised bomb.
“Upon the discovery, the suspect was immediately arrested. Other exhibits recovered from the suspect include: two lighters and one dagger,” the FCT CP narrated. He assured that the suspect will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigation.
The CP also revealed that on the same date at about 11.30 hours, police operatives on stop and search at Dakwa, FCT-Niger Boundary, arrested one Abdullahi Umar ‘m’ 22 years of Gadan Karte, Illela LGA of Sokoto State, with a bag containing 13 well packaged bottles of petrol bomb.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he arrived Suleja from Sokoto State on Sunday to join other members of their sect for the protest.
“He also confessed that he was ferrying the petrol bomb to FCT to confront law enforcement agents. One lighter was also recovered from the suspect,” CP Ciroma stated. He said the suspect will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigation.
CP Ciroma assured FCT residents of adequate security. The CP declared: “I want to also bring to your knowledge that a total of 400 members of the El-Zakzaky Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) who participated in the violent protest of today are currently being detained for discreet investigation; dangerous weapons were also recovered from them.
“Also arrested is their first aider, one Salahuddeen Ahmad, ‘M’ 23 years of Illela LGA of Sokoto State.
“The Suspects will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigation.”