Army arrests suspected agitators, wanted Boko Haram chief, others

The Nigerian Army has arrested some suspected agitators in the Niger Delta, a wanted Boko Haram chief and other insurgents.A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Col. Sani Usman, yesterday said it apprehended Gabriel Ogbudje, leader of ‘Otugas Fire Force,’ a group of agitators, who threatened to attack Utorogu Gas plant in Delta State.

Usman said Ogbudje, allegedly responsible for the recent sabotage of NPDC/Shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogo-Oteri general area on the 26th of last month, was arrested by troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army.

He explained that Ogbudje was trailed to Agbor-Abraka road in Edo State on September 6, 2016 and arrested.“He has been on the run since he was declared wanted because of his public confession as leader of the ‘Otugas Fire Force’ and his subsequent declaration of operation ‘Crocodile Tears,’ reported in some national dailies,” he said.

He was arrested while the brigade was engaged in the training for “Operation Crocodile Smile.” Ogbudje was arrested with a suspected accomplice, Elvis Dweller Ejus.
“Both suspects were handed over to Operation Delta Safe for further interrogation and subsequent transfer to the relevant security agency for prosecutions,” he said.

Usman said in another operation, “Troops of 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army in conjunction with Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and covert operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency, arrested a suspected kingpin of another group of agitators, one Isaac Romeo, who goes by the appellation ‘G2’ in their terrorist camp.”

He continued: “He was arrested along with two other persons, Lawson Samson and an elderly man, Inyang Ekpo in Calabar, Cross State while driving in a vehicle with registration number, CRS 86 AO1 on Saturday, September 3, 2016.

“The arrests followed painstaking efforts and tracking of the militant, who was in the state to perpetrate further criminal activities of sabotaging critical infrastructures. All the suspects are currently being interrogated.”

In another statement, Usman also said some suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group were arrested in Yobe State, one of them listed among the 100 most-wanted members of the insurgents.

Listed number 105, Muhammed Bulama was arrested on Tuesday with Ardo Abba Muhammed (elder brother to Bulama, as claimed) and Muhammadu Kaigama, in Azare community, Gujba Council Area of Yobe State, with the help of the local vigilantes in the town.

According to Usman, “they were arrested while on horseback and bicycle, shepherding some sheep to the market. During preliminary investigation, the suspected terrorist personally confirmed his photograph on the wanted list and further revealed that he specialised in rearing animals for the terrorist group.

“The suspects confessed that they came to the village to sell the animals as they had run out of cash in their hideout and would also get some food items back for the Sallah festival.”