Herdsmen Killings: Security Agencies Reveal Attackers

An intelligence report by the security agencies have said that the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), operating in some North-Central and South-South states of Nigeria may be responsible for the killings in some parts of the country.

Naija News gathered that the intelligence report was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by security agencies.

A Presidency source, anonymously told Punch on Sunday that the security agencies told the President that the ISWA network had been using foreign terrorists and recruiting young men to cause violence in order to aggravate tensions and panic along ethic, religious and regional lines in the country.

He said the the arrested perpetrators of Benue killings gave the information, adding that many of the suspects cannot speak of the Nigerian languages but fluent in French.

He said, “A good number of the Islamic State terrorists have been arrested, not only in the Benue valley, but in several towns in Edo State, specifically in Akoko-Edo, Okpella and Benin, as well as in Okene, Kogi State.

“It is understood that the cell, which has members in different parts of the country, concentrates on recruiting young men to fight for the Islamic State in West Africa.

“There was intelligence that they planned several attacks before and during Christmas and the New Year. Their targets included fuel depots, foreign missions and police and military establishments.

“Their network is very wide. But the DSS, which made a significant number of arrests in the last two months, helped to pre-empt those attacks. This helped to save Nigeria from a spate of major terrorist attacks witnessed elsewhere which were syndicated by ISIS worldwide.”

He added that the intelligence report submitted to the president showed that security operatives were afraid of the invasion of other members of ISWA into the country.

“We are learning more and more about this complex and sophisticated network. This is the main reason that the secret service is not parading the arrested suspects,” he said.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said he had no knowledge about the report submitted to the president, adding that Buhari had been receiving a lot of reports on the killings in Benue and other states.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has been receiving reports on the situation in Benue and other states.

“I can also confirm that the DSS has recorded successes lately, but I have not been briefed on any of the reports submitted to the President,” he said.