THE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday alerted the
public on new plots by terrorists who now plant Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) on attractive objects in public places.
Acting Director Defence Information (DDI), Colonel Mohammed Rabe,
who made this known at a meeting with correspondents in Abuja, said
terrorists now conceal cluster bombs in attractive objects to attack
people.
He warned members of the public not to get carried away by this new
and dangerous trend by the terrorists who are now desperate after they
have been routed from their strongholds in Sambisa Forest by soldiers.
Col. Rabe also advised Nigerians not to rush to bomb scenes
immediately after an attack as there could be a possibility for a second
IED to explode, thereby increasing the casualty figure.
The Defence spokesman said five suspected Boko Haram terrorists on
the wanted list of the Army have so far been arrested by security
agencies.
Rabe, who said Boko Haram is also using under-aged children to carry
out attacks, noted that terrorists also plant bombs on very attractive
objects in churches, mosques, markets, motorparks and other public
places to attract innocent members of the public to strike, warned the
people to be cautious when they come across such objects.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai,
yesterday blamed the emergence of Boko Haram on wrong Islamic
teachings. He said twisted interpretation of the Islamic precepts
berthed an extreme ideology in restive youths who dominated the terror
group.
Buratai, who opened a two-day seminar organized by the Directorate of
Islamic Affairs of the Nigerian Army to enlighten and de-radicalize
minds of people on terrorism and misinterpretation of Islam at the
Maimalari Cantonment, 7 Division in Maiduguri, Borno State, noted that
it was time people embrace and teach true religious knowledge devoid of
any ulterior interpretation.
“Muslims are faced with ignorance and wrong interpretation of Islam.
We have to sensitize the public to embrace the true teachings of Islam,
as propagated by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as anything outside that, does
not represent Islam,” he said.
The COAS, who was represented by the Theatre Commander, Operation
Lafiya Dole, Maj Gen Abubakar Yasha’u, said miscreants and criminals
terrorizing people in the northeast under the guise of Islam, have gone
out of the real teaching and interpretation of the religion as taught
by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his disciples. He said such teachings
have misled people into wrong acts including terrorism.
Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai, represented by the Wali of
Borno, Wali Idris, described the seminar as timely. He said it would
sensitize people about what true Islam is all about. “Nigerians should
be their brother`s keeper irrespective of religious or ethnic
affiliations, as all of us belong to the same country and cannot develop
without peaceful coexistence. Our doors are always open to the
security agencies to seek useful advice and suggestions on any security
matter”, the Shehu stated.
Director of Islamic Affairs in the Army, Col. S. Mustapha, said some
people have failed to heed several warnings on the false teachings of
some clerics in the society. “Despite Islamic warning against extremism
and terrorism, some people did not heed the warning, but always embark
on distorting the real meaning of Qur`anic verses and Hadith,
disseminating wrong information on Islam, in order to lure ignorant
Muslim youths into crime in the name of fighting Jihad,” he said.