Police arrest three suspects linked to attack on emir, killing 30

The police on Sunday announced the arrest of three suspects involved in the attack on the Emir of Potiskum, Umar Bubaram.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the January attack on the emir’s convoy in Kaduna during which 30 people were killed and about 100 kidnapped.

Four of the slain victims were aides of the emir.

The attack was condemned by many Nigerians including President Muhammadu Buhari who, however, kept mum on the victims unrelated to the emir.

The Force Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in a statement on Sunday named the arrested suspects as Munkailu Liman Isah aka Babban Driver (32). Abdullahi Saminu aka Danmunafiki (21) and Aminu Usman (22).

He said the three are members of a terror group, Ansaru, which has operated in Northern Nigeria for about a decade.

He said the arrest followed sustained mop-up operations by police operatives at the operational base of the Ansaru group in Kuduru Forest, Birnin-Gwari.

He said the recent arrest brought the number of suspects arrested in connection to the January attack to eight.

Mr Mba said the suspects are already assisting police investigators with useful information relating to the operations of the terror group.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the arrested suspects were actively involved in the recent attack and attempted kidnap of the Emir of Potiskum that resulted in the gruesome killing of the Emir’s police escorts,” he said.

The police spokesman said the suspects were also involved in several other kidnap operations and terror attacks on commuters and other innocent citizens along some major highways, especially in the North-west and North-central states of the country.

“Unfortunately, investigation also reveals that some citizens, especially those within the business community, give tacit support to the terror groups by deliberately doing businesses with them through the supply of essential goods, drugs (licit/illicit) and other services.

“While Police operatives are on the close trail of other fleeing members of the terror groups and their collaborators, the IGP has expressed immense appreciation to all and sundry, especially the good people of Birnin-Gwari and environs for their understanding, cooperation and support which have resulted in the measure of successes recorded so far particularly in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other heinous crimes in the country,” Mr Mba said.