Nigerians woke up Friday morning to the news of a midnight shootout at a street behind Zone E of the Legislative Quarters in Abuja’s Apo district, a location where mansions of highly placed citizens, especially federal legislators are found in excess.
As residents were asleep in the wee hours of September 20, heavy gunfire rented the air, a situation uncommon in such highbrow occupied by the nation’s elites. The unpleasant sounds with its attendant echo sent jitters down the spine of those awake already. The time was 3:00am.
Within an hour, no fewer than seven persons had been felled by the bullets of the security agents. More than ten others were injured. The federal agents recorded no casualty.
There has been a huge outcry over the incident. While many people believe that the onslaught was against innocent citizens, federal officers say they acted on an intelligence report that the house they raided – a building used as abode by squatters – was shelter to some members of the Boko Haram sect.
However, the surviving victims maintain the onslaught was connected to an earlier warning by the owner of the uncompleted one-storey building, a top army officer.
“He had asked us to leave his property immediately,” a survivor told newsmen from his hospital bed at the Asokoro General Hospital.
But the State Security Service explained that it acted on information obtained from Boko Haram suspects, Mohammed Adamu and Kamal Abdullahi.
Marilyn Ogar, agency’s spokesperson, said officers acted on a tip-off by the duo that weapons cache were stocked in the building.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an SSS officer who was part of team, told DailyPost that the aim of the operation, carried out with the assistance of the Nigeria Army, was to recover arms buried at a cemetery by an influential Boko Haram member
The suspect, the arms
“Before the raid, we had placed that area under surveillance some time. One of the suspects we arrested earlier confirmed that a strong member of the sect, in company of his foot soldiers, was squatting in that building.
“He described the guy as a rugged fellow who would not go down without a fight. That several attempts at catching him failed because he’s good with weapons and usually escapes arrest.
“This suspect also disclosed that the guy in question buried the arms at a cemetery close by, that he and others would open fire if they see any movement around the cemetery especially if it was not during the day.
“We have never been to the particular house before the operation. No SSS officer would say that, so don’t believe anything contrary. We, we only went round to figure out how we’ll move in.
“But I can confirm we kept tab on the quarters from Tuesday September 17 through Thursday night.
The shootings
“The truth is it was the Boko Haram guys within that house that started firing when they heard movement. We are professionals; we know what is at stake. So we could not have gone there and open fire just like that. The SSS always respect the rule of engagement.
“As we were digging the suspected location of the armoury, several gunshots were directed at us. We had no choice than to defend ourselves.
“It was that point we realized that the suspect told the truth when he warned that we would be attacked. If you check, virtually all the survivors were hit at their back, buttock, or leg.
“This tells you that they were probably the innocent ones who were trying to flee because some of the occupants actually confronted us.
Timing of the raid
“Firstly, the operation was ours not the military’s; we called them in. We chose middle of the night for two reasons. One: To avoid civilian casualty or stray bullet incidence that may arise from exchange of the anticipated gun battle. Two, those guys are mostly found there at dusk.
“The thing is they pretend to be law-abiding citizens during the day. Agreed that, they all have what they do for a living but most use this to cover their evil deed. You’ll find that some sell suya, sachet water, or do ‘mai ruwa’ (water-selling cart-pushers) and ‘mai shayi’ (food sellers). Others hawk goods in traffic, clean vehicle windscreen, sell fruits, ride keke (tricycles), etc.
“And let me add that the same suspect who gave us the information and took us to Apo legislative quarters is a keke rider at Garki market. In fact, he was busy loading passengers the day we picked him up. Some were already seated, while he was calling for more.
“So you see that the claim that they have a means of livelihood is a decoy. True, some in that building may be clean, but going by the information we had, a good number of insurgents were in that building.
Survivors’ claim of innocence
“We hear such statements every day. It is because this one happened in Abuja, that’s why some of them are looking for sympathy of Nigerians and international community. It is for the attention.
“In Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kano and other places where the sects strike, you have cases like this. They all occupy a building, tell you they have one job or the other and before you blink, you’ll find weapons everywhere.
“More worrisome is the age of the suspects. You will be shocked if you see the number of young chaps that we’ve arrested. These are confirmed Boko Haram members! Not only can they handle a rifle, they can use well.
Presence of Boko Haram in the Federal Capital Territory
“They are very well around. Anyone denying that they are not present is deceiving his or herself. We recovered some arms at the Apo raid, which means these guys have more in other discreet places in Abuja.
“You never can tell; a man that offers service to you may be member of a sect and that’s terrible because when they strike, it’s always disastrous.
“There is a check point at the entrance of the quarters but these guys still manage to move in arms. That means it’s no longer a small problem.
Advice for government
“Now is the time for the government to spend more on intelligence gathering. In as much as the funding for security has increased, it is still not enough. I have faced insurgents many times and trust me, those guys are ruthless.
“You know they are like guerrillas; they strike and run away. Before you call Police or any other outfit, they are gone and the damage is done.
“Government should not wait until insurgents go about shooting people in public places.
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