Nigerian military during a recent raid at Benishiekh and Mainok towns of Kaga local government area of the troubled northeast state of Borno, arrested 30 shop owners over their close contact and sponsorship of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Daily Post said.
According to Daily Post, a security source who pleaded anonymous because he was not authorized to speak, said on Sunday, July 2, that the suspects were helping the security with vital information including names of prominent personalities.
He said: “There are going to be surprises if President Buhai is going to act on information at the disposal of security agencies. The rumour making the rounds about names of personalities involved in Boko Haram activities and sponsorship is going to shock many Nigerians.”
Adding that: “The arrests at Benishiekh last week when we raided the town is already giving signal to the fact that, prominent people are involved with Boko Haram. These shop owners are the suppliers of food items, money, fuel and other needs of the Boko Haram fighters. They also revealed how they attack Benishiekh town to deceive people.”
When asked to give some of the names of the arrested persons he said: “I do not have their names, I am not in position to give their names. We are soldiers and our duty is to make sure we do what we are asked to do. We raided the area in a mop up operation and made some arrest, which fortunately led to the shocking arrests of those personalities we are talking about.”
In reaction to the rumour about some prominent Borno indigenes who are believed to be sponsors of Boko Haram, with particular attention on the rumour that 25 names of prominent people have been given to President Buhari for action, he said, the information has been going round for sometime now.
“Let’s not talk about rumours. I am just telling you about those people we arrested in the mop up operations and that is what I know,” the source said.
Some travellers who plied the Maiduguri/Damaturu road have also confirmed the mop up operation, they told DAILY POST that they were held on that road for eight hours until the mop up operation ended.
In a related development, authorities in Chad have arrested Bana Fanaye also known as Mahamat Moustapha, who is said to be the mastermind of Boko Haram operations in Chad and northern Cameroon.
Osun Defender reports that, Fanaye was arrested on the afternoon of Friday, July 31. He was said to have in his possession assault weapons, and phone SIM cards for various countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Meanwhile, Bukola Saraki, Senate president, has promised to do everything possible to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his bid to stop deadly Boko Haram insurgency.
The Senate president made this pledge during his visit to Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state, on August 3, 2015.
He said he was in Maiduguri, Borno state capital for on the spot calculation of the activities of the Boko Haram and to commiserate with victims and people of the state over the spate of killings and bombings by the terrorists.
