Abuja Bomb blasts police arrests additional three suspects

The police have arrested three additional suspects allegedly involved in the multiple blasts in Nyanya and Kuje, two satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory, on October 2, 2015.

The blast claimed about 20 lives.

The suspects were paraded on Thursday at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Headquarters in Abuja, where several bomb-making materials recovered from them were also displayed.

The police had earlier announced the arrest of Abdulazeez Muhazab and Ishaka Salihu, but the force paraded five suspects including Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru and Abdullahi Nasiru, who were apprehended at various locations in Abuja.

A police source said the suspects, who are between the ages of 26 and 34 years, were picked up in three locations, adding that a special task force investigating the bombings traced the masterminds to Karamajiji village, along the Airport Road, Abuja.

“On further investigation after the arrest of the first suspect in Karamajiji, other suspects were picked up in Iddo village, also along Airport Road and Gaulaka area in Suleja, Niger State,” the source said.

He also said the suspects had confessed to being part of a terrorist group with the intention of carrying out bombings around Abuja.

He added that the bomb-making materials were recovered from two of the houses used by the terrorists, while other accomplices mentioned by the suspects were still at large.

The suspects were later arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on five charges bordering on terrorism, conspiracy, accessory to acts of terrorism and act preparatory to an act of terrorism.

Meanwhile, a Joint Task Force, comprising the personnel of the police, Department of State Services, the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has arrested about 30 suspects during a raid at a black spot in Nyanya.

The task force, which was set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, was said to have carried out the arrests as part of strategies to prevent crimes.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, confirmed that the task force raided the satellite town following an intelligence report that some crime suspects might be hiding there.

She said, “Yes, a Joint Task Force, comprising the police, DSS, the military and the civil defence corps carried out an operation in Nyanya and arrested some suspects. The task force was set up by the IG and it was being led by the police.

“The suspects that were arrested are currently being processed; the operation was meant to prevent crime and frustrate criminals before they commit crimes and it will continue throughout the FCT.”

In a related development, a professor of Computer Science, Olumide Adewale, has urged the Federal Government to invest in information and communication technology to combat terrorism in the country.

Adewale, who is the Head of Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure in Ondo State, said technological devices like wearable devices which could be used to detect and disable bombs should be provided by the government.

The don gave the advice on Wednesday during the institution’s 72nd inaugural lecture, noting that the wave of suicide bombings in some parts of the country posed a threat to its economic development.

He said, “The Federal Government needs to take a proactive stance in combating the scourge of terrorism in the country by investing in the development and provision of bomb detector and wearable devices that could be used to detect and disable bombs carried by suicide bombers. Our economy hinges on adequate security and the current trend of suicide bombings is a great threat to foreign investors.”

Adewale added that wearable bomb detective devices would enable security operatives to have a foreknowledge of any impeding bombing and nip it in the bud.

“Wearable devices worn by security operatives will have radii of operation and effectiveness such that suicide bombers within the perimeter of any security operative wearing the device will be detected.

“The operative will be alerted either by an alarm signal with coordinates of the suicide bomber. Through the device, he can then disable the bomb before it is detonated,” he said.

Adewale, who spoke on the topic, “Convergence in Divergence in Information Technology: a Symbiosis,” also canvassed for a strategy that would bring government at all levels, industry and universities together to further develop research output that could translate into ICT-based security measures for the country.