The Nigeria police on Wednesday in Abuja announced the arrest of 43-year old Abiodun Amos (aka Senti), described as the leader of a militant gang planning to bomb the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
A statement by police spokesman Don N. Awunah said the arrest was made on November 2 in a hideout on the bank of Majidun River in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, and that two AK 47 rifles were recovered from his possession.
“The principal suspect is an Ijaw man and a Native of Ese Odo LGA of Ondo State,” DCP Awunah said. “He is an Explosives Expert who specializes in assembling and modifying large scale Improvised Explosives Devices (IED) for terrorist act. The suspect also volunteered confessional statement to the Police and named other members of the militant group that are still at large.”
He added that credible evidence had indicated that the gang planned a series of attacks on government infrastructure and facilities in Lagos, as a result of which Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris directed the force’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to trail and arrest them before they could carry out the heinous crime.
According to the statement, “In the course of further investigation into the case, one of the suspects at large mentioned to the Police by the principal suspect as the person in possession of their explosive devices and the detonators was trailed by the Police (IRT) Operatives on the 26th December, 2016 while conveying in a Toyota Camry Car, two (2) Cartons of Galantine Dynamite Explosives and Hundred and twenty five (125) Detonators in the boot of the Car in a location in Ikorodu area of Lagos state on his way to link up with the other members of the militant gang to blow up the 3rd mainland bridge.”
He said Mr. Amos fled into the bush when he saw members of the IRT, but the explosive devices and the detonators were recovered, thereby averting an attack that would have done tremendous damage to the state and Nigeria.
The statement said efforts were underway to arrest all the other members of the militant gang still at large, but no mention was made of when Mr. Amos would appear in court, or what his condition is.
“The IGP is hereby assuring all Nigerians of adequate security and commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to work assiduously to nip in the bud militancy and other forms of criminalities that can throw the country into a large scale mayhem and massive loss of lives and properties,” the spokesman said, urging Nigerians to remain calm and law abiding, and see themselves as stakeholders with the Force in making the country safer.
