Kano police boss revealed that arrested Boko Haram insurgent was a former air force soldier

KANO State police commissioner Rabiu Yusuf has revealed that one of the Boko Haram suspects who recently engaged his men in a gun battle was dismissed from the Nigeria Air Force (Naf).

Last week, men of the Kano State Police Command were engaged in a fierce gun battle with Boko Haram. According to Mr Yusuf, the dismissed Naf officer escaped with gunshot wounds from the clash which took place at Gaya in Unogo Local Government Are of Kano State.

He added that five suspects were later nabbed at a hideout, where they were plotting a fresh attack. According to the police commissioner, one of the suspects confessed to the police about the planned launch of a series of attacks on places of worship, public gatherings and other strategic places of interest.

According to Mr Yusuf, the suspects were arrested following intelligence indicating that some Boko Haram members who escaped from Sambisa Forest were regrouping in some states including Kano.

Mr Yusuf said: “The suspects arrested are Abba Mohammed of Niger Republic, 20; Usman Buhari, 23, of Borno State and Iliyasu Abdullahi, 46, of Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State. Two heavily pregnant women were also arrested, who are Aisha Yau, 25, and Ladidi Yunusa, 27, both of Kwarna Hudu Quarters in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

“Exhibits recovered from them include one AK-7 rifle, 49 live rounds of ammunitions, four magazines, four pieces of improved explosive devices and two sets of Naf uniforms. Other materials found in their possession include four Naf caps, one hand smoke, one military boot, one camouflage uniform, one Volkswagen motor vehicle key, one laptop, one i-Pad, some pictures of the suspects in military uniform and some operational black masks."