Ebun Francis || The Department of State Security has informed President Muhammadu Buhari that the Islamic State in West Africa network operating within some North Central and South-South sections of Nigeria may be responsible for the recent killings recorded in Benue State and other parts of the country.
This information was contained in an intelligence report presented to the President Buhari by security agencies in the country.
A top government official who spoke on the condition that he will not be mentioned because he was not authorised to speak on the matter informed newsmen in Abuja on Sunday that President Buhari was told that the Islamic network is 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.”
He said the discovery was made following the arrest of several suspected attackers made up of Fulani herdsmen, government-sponsored militias, militants and other miscreants in Benue State.
Among those in custody, according to the Presidency source, are many suspects who cannot speak any Nigerian languages.
They are, however, said to be fluent in French language.
The source said, “A good number of the Islamic State terrorists have been arrested not only in the Benue valley but significantly in several towns in Edo State, specifically in Akoko-Edo, Okpella, and Benin as well as in Okene, in Kogi State.
“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 report 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 preempt those attacks.”