The police force in Adamawa State has arrested four suspected members of Boko Haram who are planning to attack the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
The Special Assistant on Media to the former Vice President, Abdurrasheed Shehu, stated this in a statement he issued on Monday.
The statement said, “We want to inform Nigerians that at about 9:44 p.m. on Sunday, July 23, 2023, a man was arrested at the door of Atiku Abubakar’s house in Yola.
“A man told the police that his name is Jubrila Mohammed, who is 29 years old and is a member of Boko Haram from Damboa in Borno State.”
“He also told them that he and three of his colleagues, who were later arrested, had planned to attack places associated with Atiku Abubakar.
“The four suspects have already been handed over to the military.
The statement also praised the police force for this effort and called on the security agencies to continue to focus on their work.
Investigate attempted attack on Atiku — Timi Frank
Meanwhile, Leadership reports that a political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on the Federal Government to urgently investigate an attempted Boko Haram attack on Atiku.
Frank also asked the Federal Government to beef up security around the former Vice President, even as he called the attention of the international community to the developments in Nigeria.
The political activist revealed that some suspected Boko Haram members made an attempt on the life of Atiku Abubakar on Sunday at his residence in Yola, Adamawa State.
In a statement released Monday in Abuja, Timi Frank said the arrested suspect confessed to Police a grand plot to plant bombs at the Modibbo Adama Central Mosque, the private residence of the Atiku, as well as the American University of Nigeria, all in Yola.
The statement reads: “Security information reaching us earlier today has it in authority that about 4 Boko Haram members all the way from Danboa, Borno State, made their way at about 9:45 p.m. local time yesterday (23/07/2023) to the Yola residence of His Excellency, the Waziri Adamawa (Atiku Abubakar) and identified themselves upon confirmation of the residence as to their mission in Adamawa.
“Reacting swiftly, the Dougirei Police command was immediately tipped off as the ring leader was promptly arrested, with the rest fleeing from the premises.
“Upon investigation by the SCID Adamawa State Police Headquarters, it was verified and confirmed that the suspect confessed to a grand plot to plant bombs in the Modibbo Adama Central Mosque, the residence of the Waziri, as well as the American University in Yola.
“These confessions of the dreaded Boko Haram sect are troubling and worrisome, as this is the first time an attempted attack of this magnitude would be planned on the person of HE Atiku Abubakar.”
Narrating the incident further, Frank said: “It is quite shocking that this is coming at a time the Federal Government has given assurance to the citizens of the decimation of the dreaded group, let alone an attempt on a high-profile personality like H.E. Atiku Abubakar.
“Having received the official Police HQ Situation Report, we would like to call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, beef up adequate security around the former Vice President, with a swift investigation into unraveling the circumstances leading to Atiku being targeted by this group.
“There is no gainsaying that it will be foolhardy on the part of the Federal Government to treat this security breach with kid gloves, as the aftereffects in the event of any eventuality will be enormous for the country to contain.
“Furthermore, we must note that all through the active years of the Boko Haram sect ravaging the North-east, not a single attempt was made on the person of H.E. Atiku Abubakar, and we are curious as to the timing of this planned attack in this manner.
He, however, called on the international community “to take notice that only recently the INEC confirmed in the PEPT that HE won in 21 states, therefore sending shock waves to the opposition and current government on the possibility of a rerun election.
“Perhaps this grand plot is being sponsored by top opposition politicians to assassinate the former VP in a bid to cause chaos and deny him any chance of retrieving his stolen mandate. We are therefore circumspect in this regard.
“Therefore, any collaborators or sponsors of these dastardly ideas must be fished out forthwith to forestall any untoward reactions towards the FG and rougue politicians alike.
“Nonetheless, it is imperative for the FG to immediately get to the root of this matter with a view to bringing all accomplices to book.
“I am confident that the Federal Government will treat this security breach as a matter of national emergency.”
