Boko Haram: Kingpin Among 486 Suspects Arrested In Abia – Dhqtrs …As Rivers CP Allays Fears Of Attacks

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters yesterday said a wanted terror kingpin has been arrested among those apprehended in Abia State, last Sunday.
Suspected Boko Haram members were arrested some hours after security operatives detonated improvised explosive devices planted on the premises of a branch of the Living Faith World Bible Church (a.k.a. Winners Chapel) in Owerri, Imo State.
The suspects, were said to have been arrested along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway by soldiers attached to the 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Asa in the Ukwa West Local Government Area, last Sunday.
General Chris Olukolade in a statement said a terror kingpin in the list of wanted terrorists of security forces in Nigeria have been detected in the ongoing screening of the 486 suspects napped while travelling in over 33 Hiace Hummer buses at night along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway last Sunday.
“So far other security agencies including the para-military have joined the screening exercise to ascertain the status of the remaining suspects. Those identified as possible security risk or illegal immigrants are expected to be identified for further action.” statement reads.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police,Tunde Ogunsakin, says the command has put every security measures in place to ward-off any possible attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in the state.
The Commissioner gave this assurance following fears in the state over the arrest of 486 insurgents, including eight girls suspected to be members of Boko Haram at Umuahia, Abia State, by soliders from the Asa Military Base of 14 Brigade, Ohafia barracks last Sunday.
The suspects had claimed that they were allegedly heading to Port Harcourt before they were apprehended.Ogunsakin addressed Journalists at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt, yesterday after a crucial meeting held with Chairmen and Secretaries of all the 26 registered political parties in the state.
The meeting, which was the second in the series, was part of efforts and strategies put in place by the Ogunsakin-led police leadership to promote a peaceful political atmosphere ahead the 2015 general elections in the state.He stated that there was no need for punic in the state over the purported influx and arrest of people suspected to be Boko Haram members, adding that the state Police Command has all to takes to defeat the insurgents in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police urged residents of the state to always give useful information to the Police, adding that the Police can not act effectively without the cooperation of the public.Earlier in the meeting with Chairmen and the secretaries of all the registered political parties in the state, the state Police boss said the meeting, was called to review the security threats in the state occasioned by the activities and inflamentary comments of politicians in the state.
Ogunsakin disclosed that the Police Command in conjunction with representatives of the various political parties would constitute a committee that would work out the code of conduct for the parties in the state.According to him, the Police Command has also commenced investigation into reports by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that their bill boards were allegedly destroyed, adding that the Police was treating the reports as a criminal act.
He said that he was worried by the act of those in exalted positions of trust who speak without caution, adding that what people want to hear from their leaders is the good things they will do for them.
The Police Commissioner urged them to always notify the Police for security protection before embarking on any political gathering, adding that the Police would not be held responsible should there be any security breach resulting from such meetings.
Some of the political parties who spoke, including the APC, PDP, ACD and APGA, among other thanked the state Commissioner of Police for the meeting, and assured that they would abide by all the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting in other to promote the enthronement of peace in the state during and after 2015, general elections.

L-R: Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Emem Okon, Deputy Managing Editor, National Point Newspaper, Constance Meju and Executive Director, Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Centre, Prof. Robito Ekpiken-Ekanem, during a training for media
personnel on Reporting Violence Against Women in Port Harcourt, yesterday