 |
| Amos and some of his explosive |
A suspected member of a militant group allegedly planning to blow up
the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State, has been arrested by the police in
Majidun, Ikorodu area of the state.
The suspect, Abiodun Amos, aka Senti, was said to be a bomb expert, who
had participated in several robbery attacks and kidnappings in Lagos and Ogun
states.
It was learnt that two Ak-47 rifles concealed in a bag and a
vehicle loaded with dynamite and detonators were recovered from the suspect’s
hideouts around the creeks in Majidun.
It was gathered that Amos’ arrest followed an intelligence report
received by the office of the National Security Adviser to the President.
The report was said to have been passed onto the Inspector-General of
Police, Ibrahim Idris, who directed the Inspector-General of Police
Intelligence Response Team, led by ACP Abba Kyari, to go after the group.
A police source disclosed to PUNCH that Amos was a top commander of a militant group, which had been terrorizing communities in Lagos and Ogun states.
The source said, “The suspect is a member of a militant group operating
from the creeks of Ikorodu and Arepo areas of Lagos and Ogun states. The police
got an intelligence report from the office of the NSA that Amos and his gang
members wanted to blow up the Third Mainland Bridge.
“The group was trailed to a river bank in the Majidun area, where the
suspect, an expert in explosive, was arrested. Two Ak-47 rifles hidden in a
Ghana-Must-Go bag were found in his possession and he led operatives to a
vehicle parked discreetly within Ikorodu, and a large cache of dynamite and
detonators were recovered from its boot.”
PUNCH Metro learnt from another source that some members of the gang
earlier arrested gave detectives information that led to Amos’ arrest, adding
that the police were on the trail of other members of the gang.
“After receiving the report, the IG directed the IRT operatives to commence
a full-scale investigation and it was discovered that the group actually
planned to blow up the bridge at the end of November 2016. The suspect, who
coordinated the plan, was arrested before the scheduled date,” the source
added.
In his confessional statement, Amos, who hails from Arugbo in the Ese
Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, reportedly told the police that his
gang was frustrated by the military operations against pipeline vandals.
The 43-year-old man said his gang went into kidnapping after the
bombardment of the creeks, adding that the botched attack on the bridge was
initiated by the overall ringleader identified as General Ossy.
“We went into bank robberies and kidnapping because we wanted to get
government’s attention and all we wanted was for them to grant us amnesty and
offer us pipeline protection contract. We have made several appeals, but the
government is not listening to us.
“General Ossy said if we didn’t blow up the Third Mainland Bridge,
government would not listen to us. We had concluded plans and we decided to
carry out the attack by November ending. I am the group’s explosive
expert. We were about going into the
creek to conclude plans on how to carry out the attack when I was arrested.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, confirmed the
arrest and seizure of the explosives, saying investigation was ongoing.
He said, “An arrest was made of an individual. While the police
operatives were pursuing another one in a vehicle, he abandoned the vehicle and
ran but he was tracked down. Some explosives were discovered in the vehicle and
two Ak-47 guns were recovered from him.”
PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment