The police in Adamawa have arrested four suspected members of the Boko Haram group allegedly plotting to attack the residence of Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, in Yola, the state capital.
Yahaya Suleiman, police spokeperson in Adamawa, confirmed the development on Monday.
In a statement providing details of the arrest, Abubakar’s media office said the prime suspect identified as Jubrila Mohammed, was apprehended while attempting to identify the home of the former vice president in Yola, on Sunday.
The media office said other suspects were apprehended after the main suspect named them as his collaborators following an interrogation by the police.
“We wish to alert the Nigerian public that at about 9:44 pm on Sunday, 23 July 2023 a man seeking to confirm the residence of his excellency Atiku Abubakar in Yola was apprehended at the gate of the residence,” the statement reads.
“Upon further interrogation by the police, the suspect identified himself as a 29-year-old Jubrila Mohammed and confessed to being a Boko Haram member from Damboa in Borno state.
“The suspect also informed the police that he and his colleagues, who were later arrested too, intended to attack organisations associated with Atiku Abubakar and some other sensitive locations in Yola. All four suspects have been handed over to military authorities.”
The police spokesperson confirmed to TheCable that the suspects have been handed over to 23 army brigade for investigations.
PDP KICKS
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the planned attack on Abubakar’s residence was orchestrated by “forces who are unsettled by his (Abubakar’s) bid to retrieve his mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal”.
“Our party believes that the intent of the sponsors of this evil plot is to silence our presidential candidate, massacre innocent Nigerians and cause chaos, confusion and anarchy in the polity,” the statement reads.
The opposition party asked security agencies to “commence an investigation to fish out those behind this evil plot”.
