By Abba Auwalu Issa
In recent raid operations on Boko Haram hideouts in portions of the North East, Nigerian forces of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) detained a high-profile Boko Haram member on a wanted list.
Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, made the announcement in an Abuja statement on Thursday.
Yawi Modu, a wanted terrorist, was apprehended by Sector 2 OPHK forces along the Damboa-Wajiroko route, according to Nwachukwu.
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During their operations, the military raided the terrorists’ materials hub for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Damboa and Gashua Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe States, respectively.
According to him, forces also raided a Urea Fertilizer syndicate that was infamous for supplying terrorists with IED ingredients in a market that was thought to be the notorious hub for BHT/ISWAP IED materials.
“In order to stay relevant and maintain a posture of potency, these ISWAP criminals are feverishly gathering IED components to manufacture explosive devices with which to terrorize innocent populations.
“A total of 281 (50Kg) bags of urea were collected from market warehouses during the sting operation, and two notorious distributors were also arrested. Remember that the government outlawed urea fertilizer because of terrorists’ use of it as a key component in making IEDs.
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He stated, “The suspects and materials discovered are currently undergoing preliminary investigation.”
Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, had praised the troops for their vigilance and resilience, and reassured them of his backing in dealing decisively with the terrorists, according to Nwachukwu.