TERRORIST PLANS FOILED: Bomb-Maker Arrested In Jigawa By JTF

The Joint Task Force have arrested a suspected bomb manufacturer in Kazaure Local Government of Jigawa State, after engaging in a gun battle at the suspect's residence. Three women and three small children were rescued uninjured from the place of the incident. According to a statement issued in Sunday by the JTF spokesman Captain Ikedichi Iweha, "at the end of operations, five AK 47 rifles, five magazines, and 333 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and various improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the residence after an intensive search." Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a manufacturer of IED and used his resident as a staging ground for terrorist activities in Kano. "You may recollect that the JTF had earlier alerted members of the general public of fleeing terrorists from major theatres of operations in the North-east axis of the country to ‘cooler’ areas due to pressure being mounted on them by the on-going military operations in the north-east," the statement read. "Members of the general public are once again enjoined to continue complementing the efforts of the JTF by carrying out thorough checks on the background of persons who wish to rent properties, especially in quiet zones or on the outskirts of major towns," the statement further read. Mr. Iweha assured that the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Kano would not allow its area of operational responsibility to be used as haven for terrorists. "The appeals of the JTF will continue to be complemented with the destruction of properties where terrorists reside and the arrest of their owners," he said, stressing that the efforts of the JTF would not be successful without the cooperation of the residents. He urged all residents not to relent in the fight against terrorism by reporting any suspicious persons, regardless of gender for immediate action to prevent the loss of lives and properties. Iweha also called on members of the public to go about their lawful businesses without any fear and to contact the JTF through its telephone numbers in the event of any distress for rapid response.