• It’s extra-judicial killings-Residents
A combined team of security forces led by the Department of State Security (DSS) have killed 12 suspected members of the Boko Haram sect around Apo legislative quarters in Abuja. The incident, which left in its trail, pool of blood, occurred in the early hours of Friday with 17 other suspected members of the sect critically wounded.
There are, however, conflicting reports that the number of suspects killed might be more or less than 12. The spokesperson of DSS, Marilyn Ogar refused to disclose the number of suspects killed. But eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident when security agents came to evacuate the corpses, told Saturday Sun that they counted no fewer than 12 dead bodies.
Saturday Sun learnt that the armed security men, numbering over 20, were alerted by the owner of the uncompleted building where several homeless tricycle (Keke NAPEP) riders and other artisans of northern extraction, have been taking refuge.
It was further learnt that the twin uncompleted duplex belongs to a serving General in the Nigerian Army.
Apo Legislative Quarters is the official residence of the President of the Nigerian Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It houses several other serving and former federal lawmakers. Prior to this deadly shoot-out, the neighbourhood was believed to be among the safest in Abuja.
Ogar revealed that two of the suspects, who were earlier arrested by security forces, allegedly gave out the location of the other sect members. The two suspects, Mohammed Adamu and Kaman Abdullahi, during their confessions in Hausa, said: “We usually keep custody of the arms and ammunitions supplied by our ring leader identified as Suleiman.”
They confirmed that they’re members of the dreaded Boko Haram. Some of the ammunitions are allegedly buried in a cemetery about 500 metres away from the building.
An eye-witness, who spoke to Saturday Sun when our correspondent visited the area, said over 40 armed policemen arrived the scene around 7am yesterday and took the 12 corpses to the morgue. The eyewitness, who lives just few metres away from the scene of the incident, further revealed that more than 200 other suspected members of the sect have been rounded up by policemen and taken into custody.
The eyewitness, who has been living in the area for more than two years, however, debunked claims that those killed and arrested are members of Boko Haram. He said they’re artisans who have been probably forced to relocate to Abuja because of the biting insecurity in the North.
He further added that the victims are not armed robbers either. He revealed that the owner of the uncompleted building had warned the occupants to vacate the place or face the consequences. The eyewitness said the house owner eventually reported the case to the armed men who didn’t do any under-cover investigations before laying an ambush on the innocent victims.
According to him: “It happened at about 12 midnight. Some armed soldiers came. There are some uncompleted buildings in the area. The area is Apo Zone E in Legislative Quarters. It is not far from the mosque.
“It’s just about 100 metres from the mosque. As I’m speaking to you right now, the policemen there are more than 40. They’ve gathered over 200 Hausa boys. They killed over 12 unarmed people. There are still some magazines of soldiers littered everywhere.
“Maybe the police have carried the 12 corpses to the morgue. Maybe somebody alerted the security guys that the boys are suspected Boko Haram members. They’ve never harmed anybody since we started staying there. They’re not even robbers because they’ve never stolen anything from anyone.
“What we just learnt is that the owner of the uncompleted building has been warning them not to live in that house. He has been threatening them.
“The policemen arrived there around 7.15 this morning after the soldiers raided the place. Those soldiers came around 12 midnight and were just shooting sporadically till 2am. We couldn’t sleep.”
Speaking to journalists at the scene of the incident, spokesperson of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar said the two suspects in their custody had been arrested prior to the raid. She said during investigation, the two suspects gave a piece of information that arms were buried somewhere within the building.
“We then sent a team of security operatives. They came under fire. In the course of that, some people died. We arrested several others and they’re giving us very useful information,” Ogar added.
A statement by Ogar, made available to Saturday Sun, reads: “In the early hours of today (Friday) 20th September, 2013, about 0030 hours, a combined security team went for an operation behind the Apo legislative quarters. The operation was sequel to information obtained from two (2) Boko Haram elements Kamal Abdullahi and Mohammed Adamu, who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities. They led the security team to uncompleted buildings where arms were purported to have been buried underground.
The sattement added: “No sooner had the team commenced digging for the arms, than they came under heavy gunfire attack by other Boko Haram elements within the area, which prompted immediate response from the security team. As a result, some persons were injured and 12 others have been arrested in connection with the incident, and are making useful statements.
According to the statement: “Normalcy has returned to the area. Members of the public are advised to go about their normal businesses, as appropriate security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of citizens in the FCT. We want to reiterate the need for all Nigerians to be vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies. Our national security must remain the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
It was learnt that some of the suspected terrorists escaped during the shootout through a hill directly behind the twin duplex. Their whereabouts remain unknown and it is unclear if a manhunt has begun to apprehend them.
Sources: Sun Newspaper
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