Al-Barnawi as co-founder, top commander of Boko Haram
•Accuses IPOB of abducting, killing of Fulanis in Abia
•Accuses IPOB of abducting, killing of Fulanis in Abia
The Department of State Security (DSS) yesterday confirmed its arrest of Mohammed Usman who is also known as Khalid Al-Barnawi, described as a founding member of the Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid Da’wah Wa’l-Jihad (Boko Haram) and later the Amir of the break-away faction, Jama’at Ansarul Muslimim Fi Biladi Sudan (JAMBS).
He is also said to be the mastermind of the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building, Abuja.
The DSS called his arrest in Lokoja penultimate Friday “a major milestone against terrorism.”
Besides, the agency said it had uncovered “the heinous role played by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in the abduction/kidnap of five Hausa-Fulani men in Isuikwuato LGA Abia State.”
It said four of the five abducted persons were subsequently murdered and buried in shallow graves in Umuanyi forest in the state.
The DSS in an online statement by its spokesman, Tony Opuiyo, said Al-Barnawi used to move around under various aliases such as Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda and Alhaji Tanimu.
It said further of him: “Khalid Al-Barnawi is a trained terrorist commander, who has been coordinating terrorist activities in Nigeria, while talent-spotting and recruiting vulnerable young and able Nigerians for terrorist training by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in North African States and the Middle-East.
“Subject was involved in many terrorist attacks in states of the federation, including Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto and FCT-Abuja; this resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent citizens of this country.
“Al-Barnawi is also responsible for the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, on 26th August, 2011; the kidnapping of two European civil engineers in Kebbi State in May, 2011, and their subsequent murder in Sokoto State; the kidnap of a German engineer, Edgar RAUPACH in January, 2012, the kidnap and murder of seven expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company at Jama’are, in Bauchi State in February, 2013, the attack of Nigerian troops at Okene in Kogi State, while on transit to Abuja for an official assignment.
“He would soon be charged to Court to face his charges after investigation is completed. This arrest is a major milestone in the counter-terrorism fight of this Service; this arrest has strengthened the Service’s resolve that no matter how long and far perpetrators of crime and their sponsors may run, this Service in collaboration with other sister security agencies, will bring them to justice.”
The DSS named the Hausa/Fulani men allegedly murdered by IPOB members as Mohammed Gainako, Ibrahim Mohammed, Idris Yakubu and Isa Mohammed Rago.
It said: “The abducted men were later discovered at the Umuanyi forest, Abia State, where they were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst fifty (50) other shallow graves of unidentified persons.
“Arrest and investigation conducted so far, revealed that elements within the IPOB, carried out this dastardly action. It is pertinent therefore to alert the general public that IPOB, is gradually showing its true divisive colour and objectives, while steadily embarking on gruesome actions in a bid to ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust amongst non-indigenes in the South-East region and other parts of the country. Following this act, tension is currently rife among communal stakeholders in the State with possibilities of spill over to other parts of country.
“Against the foregoing, the Service will not hesitate to act decisively within its statutory mandate to ensure that the sponsors and perpetrators of this action are apprehended and prosecuted for their crime.
“Accordingly, law-abiding citizens are enjoined to go about their civil duties and businesses freely, as efforts are being intensified by security agencies to maintain law and order in the State and across the Federation.”
IPOB is in the vanguard of the renewed agitation for the emergence of Biafra.
Its leader, Nnamdi Kanu is currently facing trial in Abuja for treason
The Nations
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