. Eagle-eyed operatives arrested suspect with three wraps of cannabis at Abuja motor park – NDLEA
One of the fleeing terrorists declared wanted by the Federal Government last week over the Kuje prison attack has been nabbed at a motor park in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The suspect is number four on the list of fleeing terrorists declared wanted by the Federal Government last Friday over the Kuje prison invasion and jailbreak.
Last Tuesday night, heavily armed terrorists had invaded the prison and released over 800 inmates, including all the Boko Haram suspects.
The Islamic State in West Africa Province had claimed responsibility for the attack.
On Friday, the Nigerian Correctional Service had released the names and pictures of the fleeing suspects.
On Monday, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency nabbed one of the wanted fleeing inmates, Suleiman Idi, at the Area 1 motor park, Abuja.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the suspect, Idi had attempted to board a commercial vehicle to Maiduguri, Borno State, when he was arrested by the agency’s operatives.
“During preliminary interview, the wanted terror suspect confirmed he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre for terrorism and robbery charges, adding that he was indeed one of the inmates who escaped from the facility last Tuesday,” Babafemi said.
The NDLEA said three wraps of cannabis sativa were found on the fleeing terrorist.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), who commended the agency’s operatives for the suspect’s arrest, directed that the wanted terrorist be immediately handed over to the NCoS.
Idi is the second suspect to be recaptured after the NCoS published the identities of fleeing inmates.
Last Saturday, suspect number 39, Hassan Hassan was recaptured in Nasarawa State.
Police Public Relations Officer of Nasarawa Command, Rahman Nansel, announced Hassan’s arrest in a statement, last Saturday.
Nansel said, “Sequel to the attack on Kuje Maximum Custodial Centre and subsequent escape of inmates, on July 9th, 2022 at about 0130hrs, one Hassan Hassan ‘M’ whose name and picture was amongst the escaped inmates with Boko Haram/Terrorism Case was recaptured by the Eagle-eyed Police operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command at Keffi.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi has ordered for the transfer of the suspect to a safer location while intensive search for other escapees and handing over process of the arrested inmate progresses. The Commissioner of Police however, appreciated the efforts of the Police operatives for a job well done and assured members of the public of the Command’s unrelenting efforts at making the public space safer for all.”