Nigerian military authorities were
questioning four foreign nationals suspected to be from a Middle Eastern
country over a large consignment of arms and ammunition intercepted in
a warehouse located in the Bompai area of Kano on Wednesday.
Following the shock discovery, owner of
the complex, where the dangerous weapons were impounded, simply
identified as a Lebanese national, was arrested by military personnel.
As of the time of filing this report, the building on Gaya Road, Bompai, where the weaponry was found was under surveillance by heavy military guard.
Security sources disclosed that items
recovered from the extensive operation included 40 air-to-surface
missiles, 50 cluster bombs, 200 rocket-propel launchers, eight AK-47
rifles, 200 military hand grenades and some military hardware capable of
destroying Armored Personnel Carriers.
A security source told our correspondent that security was beefed up
in the commercial city of Kano as a result of the Democracy Day
celebrations. There was a significant increase in vehicular patrols by
officers of the JTF and the police. “You can see that our patrols made
it possible to achieve the kind of peace that the people of Kano have
not experienced in recent months,” a security official said.
Some of Kano’s terror flashpoints attracted the largest presence of
soldiers and police. The areas include Kurna Asabe, where two persons
were reportedly killed last Friday by unknown gunmen, Hotoro-Mariri,
Yankaba and Badawa. The areas are suspected hideouts for gunmen.
Security sources disclosed that items recovered from the extensive
operation included 40 air-to-surface missiles, 50 cluster bombs, 200
rocket-propel launchers, eight AK-47 rifles, 200 military hand grenades
and some military hardware capable of destroying Armored Personnel
Carriers.
The “weapons of war” were said to have
been evacuated to the headquarters of the 3rd Motorised Brigade of the
Nigerian Army, Kano, alongside the foreign nationals.
It was learnt that preliminary
investigation had begun while “three countries have been indicted and
the military high command is working to ascertain the culpability.”
A resident of the area, said he counted over “300 AK-47 riffles” during the evacuation.
A spokesman for the anti-terrorist Joint Task Force , Captain Ikedichi Iweha, indicated
that the brigade would brief reporters on the issue later today. He
declined to make further comments on the incident, which occurred on
Tuesday night.
“You will get the details tomorrow (Thursday),” he said. He added,
“Because of the Democracy Day celebrations we have decided to talk to
you after the break.”
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