The Department of State Services said in Abuja on Tuesday that it had arrested a student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Abdussalam Yunusa, who was recruiting for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
A statement issued by the spokesperson for the security agency, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, said that the suspect was arrested in Kano.
He said that the arrest of the suspect was sequel to available intelligence, which he said indicated the suspect’s terrorist antecedents and covert drive to indoctrinate and recruit susceptible youths in the country.
The statement said, “On January 17, 2016 one Abdussalam Yunusa, a recruiter for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was arrested in Kano.
“His arrest was sequel to available intelligence which indicated his terrorism antecedents and covert drive to indoctrinate and recruit susceptible youths in the country.”
Before his arrest, Opuiyo said that Yunusa had completed arrangements to embark on a journey to join an ISIS terrorist training camp in Libya, with other Nigerians whom he recruited for the group.
He gave the names of the recruited ones as Muhammed Rabi’u, Yahaya Jimoh and a female, Zainab Sunday.
He said that Yunusa was a 400-level undergraduate of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, where he was studying for a degree in Information and Media Technology before his arrest.
He was alleged to be a member of an extremist cell, comprising one Ibrahim and Abubakar Ligali, whom he (Yunusa) revealed was currently undergoing terrorist training in Libya.
Yunusa was said to have listed a Republic of Niger national, Ibrahim Jihad, and one Aminu as other ISIS agents operating in Nigeria and West African.
The cell was said to be funded by one Abu-sa’ad Al Sudani, a media expert with the extremist group.
The statement said the group was funding terrorist activities through electronic money transfers.
Opuiyo added that the DSS had on January 17, 2016 in Daura, Katsina State, intercepted another budding extremist cell affiliated to the ISIS.
He said, “One Ibrahim Daura, Zaharadeen Salisu and five other elements of the proscribed extremist group, Ansaru, were arrested by the DSS.
“This group was discovered in an active stage as its members were already coordinating themselves for attacks in Katsina and Kano states.”
In the same vein, Opuiyo said that the DSS also made some arrests on January 22, 2016 when it apprehended Obansa Salami, Ejide Tijani aka Abu Uwaise II, Mohammed Rabiu aka Ubida II, Zainab Mohammed and Abdulqadir Ahmad, in Kano while migrating to Libya with their immediate families, including infants – in a bid to join the ISIS.
He said the members of the group were apprehended after a painstaking monitoring of their network and plans.
Also on January 29, 2016 the DSS arrested Mohammed Ndako in Kwara State, Opuiyo said.
Ndako was said to be a 17-year-old undergraduate of a tertiary institution in the Kwara State.
He was said to have been arrested following a report of his plans with one Abdulkadir Salisu Ahmad aka Daddy Tall, who is another student in Kano State, to carry out coordinated attacks on populated targets in Nigeria such as worship centres or recreation centres.
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