As the menace of insurgency continues to be one of the major concerns of Nigerians, government and security agencies, the inspector general of police intelligence team has arrested a suspected Boko Haram leader simply identified as Umar in Lagos.
Punch reports that Umar, who was arrested on Thursday, December 20, is the most deadly and most wanted Boko Haram leader in Abuja, and the mastermind of the Kuje and Nyanya Abuja bombings of 2015.
It was gathered that the suspect was also said to have been the grand commander of the jailbreak of the prison in Niger state in early 2018.
A member of the team, who made the disclosure, said: “Umar is the most deadly and most wanted Boko Haram leader in Abuja, and mastermind of the Kuje and Nyanya Abuja bombings of 2015, gang leader of Galadimawa Roundabout attack in which seven police officers were killed; Lugbe police officers killer; Gwagwalada area police killings, all in Abuja; overall commander of Edo and Ondo states multiple bank robberies, several killings in the Okene area of Kogi.
Umar was arrested in Lagos by the inspector general of police intelligence team.
“He was the grand commander of the jailbreak of the prison in Niger State early this year, during which he lost one of his eyes, while over 100 prisoners escaped.
“The most wanted suspect was arrested by a special IRT team in Lagos today (Thursday) after he escaped with bullet wounds from Abuja three weeks ago when the IRT team arrested four of his gang members and recovered four AK-47 rifles and hundreds of ammunition. Today is one of the happiest moments of my life.”
The arrest was confirmed by the Nigeria Police Force public relations officer, Jimoh Moshood.
He said: “I am aware of some arrests made by the team. He is in police custody.”