Nigeria's military said Monday it had broken
up a Boko Haram intelligence cell and arrested its leader,
alleged to have taken part in the abduction of over 200
teenage girls in April.
A defence headquarters statement said that troops have
found a militants' 'intelligence cell' headed by a
businessman "who participated actively in the abduction of
school girls in Chibok," in northeast Borno state last April
14.
Of the 276 girls abducted, 57 have been found while 219 are
still missing.
The businessman identified as Babuji Ya’ari, who was also
a member of a civilian youth group that worked along with
the military, popularly known as Civilian JTF (Joint Task
Force), allegedly used his position as a cover to work for
the militants, it said.
"The arrest of the businessman who is known to deal in
tricycles has also yielded some vital information and
facilitated the arrest of other members of the terrorists’
intelligence cell who are women," the military said.
The statement accused the suspect of spying for the
Islamists as well as spearheading the murder of Emir of
Gwoza in Borno state a month ago.
He has been coordinating several deadly attacks in
Maiduguri since 2011, including the attacks on customs and
military locations in the town, a hotbed of the sect, it said.
There is no independent confirmation of the military claim.
Boko Haram Islamists are blamed for killing thousands
since 2009, but the first half of this year has been the
bloodiest stretch of the insurgency, with more than 2,000
people killed.
An attack on churches on Sunday near Chibok blamed on
Boko Haram gunmen killed 54 people, an official has said.
They hurled explosives into churches, torched buildings and
fired on worshippers as they tried to flee, residents said.
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