The Department of State Service (DSS) this evening announced the arrest of a man recruiting Nigerians for dreaded terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). DSS in a statement signed by Tony Opuiyo said the ISIS recruitment officer was nabbed in Kano along with other terrorists.

The Service disclosed how the operation was successfully executed and how it also arrested other terrorists elsewhere in the North, thus aborting terrorist attacks planned to take place across states. It also gave details of arrests of kidnappers and other criminals in parts of the North and South-West.

The statement reads: “In line with the Service statutory mandate to decisively and continually provide actionable intelligence as well as act to degrade persons and groups that threaten internal security in the Country, the Service initiated series of tactical operations, involving raids and enforcement actions against identified criminal and extremist kingpins and syndicates across the country. These recent operations have significantly degraded the key extremist groups and kidnapping gangs, terrorising innocent citizens in the Country, particularly in the South-West, North-West and Middle-Belt regions of the Federation.

“On 17th January, 2016, one Abdussalam Enesi YUNUSA, a recruiter for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was arrested in Kano. His arrest was sequel to available intelligence which indicated his terrorist antecedents and covert drive to indoctrinate and recruit susceptible youths in the country. Prior to his arrest, YUNUSA had completed arrangements to embark on a journey to join an ISIS terrorist training camp in Libya, with other Nigerians whom he recruited for the ‘Islamic State’. These recruits include the trio of one Muhammed RABI’U, Yahaya Momoh JIMOH and Zainab SUNDAY (f). YUNUSA is a 400 level undergraduate student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, where he was studying for a degree in Information and Media Technology. He was subsequently radicalised and became a member of an extremist cell, comprising of one IBRAHIM (fnu) and Abubakar LIGALI, whom he revealed are currently undergoing terrorist training in Libya. He listed one AMINU (fnu) and Ibrahim JIHADI (Nigeriene), as other ISIS agents operating in Nigeria and the West African sub-region. The cell was being funded by one Abu-sa’ad Al Sudani, a media expert with the extremist group using Western Union money transfers to fund the terrorist cell agenda.

“On 17th January, 2016, in Daura township of Daura LGA, Katsina State, another budding extremist cell affiliated to ISIS, was intercepted by the Service. One Ibrahim Mohammed DAURA, Zaharadeen SALISU and five other elements of the proscribed extremist group, Ansaru, were arrested by the Service. This group was discovered in an active stage, as its members were already co-ordinating themselves for attacks in Katsina and Kano states.

“In the same vein, on 22nd January, 2016, one Obansa SALAMI, Ejide TIJANI a.k.a Abu Uwaise II, Mohammed RABIU a.k.a Ubida II, Zainab MOHAMMED and Abdulqadir Salisu AHMAD were arrested in Kano by this Service, while migrating to Libya, with their immediate families including infants, in a bid to join ISIS. This group was apprehended after painstaking monitoring of its network and plans.

“On 29th January, 2016, the Service arrested Mohammed Aliyu NDAKO in Kwara State. NDAKO is a seventeen (17)-year-old undergraduate student of a tertiary institution in the state. He was arrested sequel to credible intelligence on his plans with one Abdulkadir Salisu AHMAD a.k.a Daddy Tall, another student in Kano State, to carry out coordinated lone-wolf attacks on selected populated targets in Nigeria preferably worship centres or recreation venues. Suspect had hitherto been communicating with foreign extremist elements, while sourcing online terrorist training and support.

“Within the window of these tactical operations, between the month of December 2015 and February 2016, the Service busted the network of syndicated kidnap gangs spanning different regions in the country, especially Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Nasarawa, FCT, Oyo and Osun states. Foremost in this line, was the arrest of a gang of five (5) kidnappers, Abubakar HASSAN, Usman MUSA, Usman ADAMU and Idrisa Babangida AHMADU at Ife junction, Osun State, on 3rd February, 2016.

“On 5th February, 2016, the fifth member of the gang, Saidu ISYAKU was arrested at Ojo area, Oyo State. These kidnappers, Six (6) AK 47 rifles, five (5) magazines and about one thousand rounds of ammunition were recovered. This gang has been active in the South West axis of the country and were at advanced stages of kidnapping high value targets for huge ransom, before they were intercepted.

“Another breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping was the killing of Abubakar MOHAMMED (a.k.a BUBA), and an unidentified member of his group, on 8th February, 2016 close to Jebba Medical Centre, Jebba, Kwara State, by security operatives as they tried to escape during a shootout with security operatives. MOHAMMED was a notorious kidnap kingpin known for his brutality and various acts of lawlessness. It is disheartening that this criminal and his men had terrorised, to no end, residents of the South West zone. He was also linked to the kidnap of the elder statesman, Chief Olu Falae, in Ondo State.

“In the wake of deliberate vandalism of oil pipelines by criminal elements in the South-South region, the Service arrested one Nengi Samuel IKIBA aka Kockman Abula, a notorious pipeline vandal on 27th January, 2016, in Bayelsa State. IKIBA confessed to vandalising several pipelines in the State, including the 24” Agoda/Brass Oil pipeline at Idema community in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State.

“The modest success of the Service in its support to the Federal Government to achieve its desired economic objectives and stability may also be noted. To this effect, the DSS have arrested a group of fraudsters who had concluded plans to hack the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) domiciled in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in order to steal Four Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N4.5b) from the Treasury Single Account (TSA). The gang was led by one Sunny OKOH, a hacker who worked in collaboration with the trio of Uwem Udo EKPO, a Chief Program Analyst in the OAGF, Maxwell EKENE, a retired security operative and Dozie EGWU, based in Malaysia and who is now at large. The suspected fraudsters intended to use a software they had sourced and codes released to them by EKPO to hack Government accounts in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and defraud the Government of this huge sum. It is instructive to note that a credibility problem would have arisen over the TSA policy if these hackers had succeeded in their plan and thus lend credence to the critics of the policy that it ought not to have been introduced and implemented. For the avoidance of doubt, the suspects have been handed over to the EFCC for further investigations and prosecution.

“It is pertinent to state that these successes were recorded as a result of proactive and credible intelligence offered by members of the public, sister security agencies and other stakeholders. This Service wish to state that it will continue to deploy every means necessary within its statutory mandate, and ambit of the law to ensure the security and safety of all law-abiding residents and citizens wherever they reside. It is also germane to urge all and sundry to be extra-vigilant, as well as report any suspicious persons/groups or activities to relevant security agencies, for the sustenance of relative peace in the country.”

•Photo shows DSS Acting DG, Lawal Daura.

Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria must end within a generation —Buhari’s wife

At a ceremony in the State House, Abuja, this afternoon, wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, launched a national response to eliminate the practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Nigeria within a generation. The launch is a collaboration between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Joint UNFPA/UNICEF Programme on FGM/C Abandonment, in partnership with several civil society organisations.

“I also urge the wives of Governors, particularly those from states where this harmful practice is rampant, to be the voice of the campaign to end FGM/C in their various States,” Mrs. Buhari told guests at the formal launch ceremony. “We are mothers and women and have the primary role to use our privileged positions to make lives better for Nigerians, especially women and girls. I urge you to be vocal on the need for FGM/C to end in Nigeria and take action that will enable this to happen,” she added.

FGM/C is an extremely harmful traditional practice, documented in 28 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Little is known about the origin of the practice, which predates contemporary world religions. It is widely practiced in Nigeria, where an estimated 19.9 million Nigerian women have undergone the procedure.

According to the National Demographic Health Survey 2013, 25% of women in Nigeria have undergone FGM/C, although the practice is slowly declining. Among the myths that still perpetuate the practice are ideas that FGM/C prevents young women from becoming promiscuous or that it is beneficial for the health of her children. In fact, it exposes girls and women to severe and sometimes life-threatening health complications, including hemorrhage, tetanus, sepsis, urine retention, sexual dysfunction and infertility; women who have undergone FGM/C are twice as likely to die during childbirth, and their babies are more likely to during or just after birth.

“Not one of the myths surrounding this practice has any basis in truth,” said UNICEF Nigeria Representative Jean Gough at the launch of the national response. “The only truth is that on every level this is a harmful and brutal practice that has a detrimental impact on the health and the human rights of women and girls.”

The national response to accelerate change and eliminate the practice within a generation – estimated at 20 years – will be based on information gathered in a study on the beliefs, knowledge, and practices of FGM/C that was conducted last year by UNICEF, UNFPA and partners in 6 high-prevalence states: Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Osun, Oyo and Lagos. The findings of the study highlight the need for sustained communication with communities and collaboration with the media to promoting the social change needed for FGM/C abandonment.

“Female genital mutilation is an extreme form of violence against women and girls. It violates her reproductive rights and her bodily integrity,” noted Mrs. Ratidzai Ndhlovu, the UNFPA Nigeria Representative. “To end this harmful practice, we must understand not only where and how it is practiced, but also the social dynamics that perpetuate it, so we can use that knowledge to persuade practitioners to end the practice.”

A new global target and call to action to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by 2030 was launched on February 6, International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM by UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, and UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake.

•Photo shows Aisha Buhari.

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