Suspected ISIS terrorists discovered, arrested in Benue, Edo and Kogi state

- The states where the terrorists were arrested are Benue, Edo and
Kogi
- This information is contained in a security report submitted to
President Muhammadu Buhari recently by the affected security service
outfits
Many members of Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) who
infiltrated Nigeria have been arrested in Benue, Edo and Kogi.
Security operatives have identified the infiltration of Islamic
State in West Africa (ISWA) in Nigeria’s north-central and south-
south.
Security reports say further revealed that a “good number” of the
Islamic State terrorists were arrested in Edo, specifically in
Akoko-Edo, Okpella and Benin as well as in Okene, in Kogi.
Security service organizations who are carrying out surveillance
and arrest included the Department of State Service (DSS)

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this information
is contained in a security report submitted to President
Muhammadu Buhari recently by the affected security service
outfits.
The report indicated that ISWA network was using foreign
terrorists and recruiting young men to fight and kill innocent
persons ostensibly to exacerbate tensions along the county’s
ethnic, religious and regional fault lines.
According to a Presidency source, this discovery was made
following the arrest of several suspected attackers made up
herdsmen, government-sponsored militias, militants and other
miscreants in Benue sate.
The source revealed that among those in custody were many who
spoke none of the languages native to Nigeria but the French
language.
”This is the first time that security officials have confirmed that
the Islamic State in West Africa members are operating as a unit in
Nigeria and the level of their occupation of the country,’ ’ the
source added.
”It is understood that the cell, which has members in different
parts of the country concentrates on recruiting young men to fight
for the Islamic State in West Africa by unleashing the cold-blooded
murder of innocent citizens.
”There was intelligence that they had planned several attacks here,
before and during Christmas and the New Year. Their bombing
targets included fuel depots, foreign missions and police and
military establishments.
”Their network is very wide. But so much was achieved by the DSS
which had made a significant number of arrests in the last two
months that helped to pre-empt those attacks.
”This helped to save Nigeria from the spate of major terrorist
attacks witnessed elsewhere that were syndicated by ISIS
worldwide,’ ’ the source maintained.
NAN gathered that the reports submitted to the presidency had
also revealed that security officials now fear an influx of other
ISIS members into many parts of the country.
“We are learning more and more about this complex and
sophisticated network.
“”This is the main reason why the secret service is not parading
those suspects so far arrested. It has become clear to us by now,
that the challenge facing this country is a serious one.”
When contacted, Presidency Spokesman, Garba Shehu confirmed
that President Muhammadu Buhari had been receiving what he
described as “report upon report on the situation in Benue and
other states."

According to him, the DSS has recorded a lot of success lately but
said he had not been briefed on any of those reports.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the Inspector General of
Police, Ibrahim Idris, said on Friday that 147 officers of the
Nigeria Police Force and sister security agencies in Zone 5, have
been trained to counter terrorism.
The I-G made this disclosure at the closing ceremony of the five-
day National Counter Terrorism Incident Commanders’
Management Course held in Benin.
Idris represented by Commissioner of Police in Edo, Mr Johnson
Kokumo, said that the Force would continue to synergise with
sister security agencies to counter terrorism.