In what could have been a disaster in the South West was thwarted by the Department of State Services operatives as they arrested 45 suspected Boko Haram members who had concluded plans to strike Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos in September.
The DSS told the court that they were arrested in connection with a foiled attack on Dolphin Estate following their arraignment at a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Isolo on Friday after obtaining the remand order on the suspects.
The suspects have been sent to Kirikiri prisons in the state after making confessional statements with arms recovered from them.
According to reports, the suspects were arrested following intelligence report on their alleged plan to attack the estate, which is in a high brow area in the state.
The DSS urged the court to remand the suspects in prison pending further investigations.
The magistrate, who asked that his name should not be disclosed for security reasons, granted the prayers that the suspects be remanded in prison.
According to the charge filed before the court, the names of the suspects include Abuyi Sheriff, Babagana Ali, Abass Ibrahim, Abubaka Grema, Kabiri Ibrahim, Mustaph Mohammed, Usman Mohammed, Modu Amsami, Isa Agafi, Adamu Jebili and Saja Kamba.
Also among them were: Abba Sagoma, Mallam Buchu, Abdul-Kareem Abba, Babagana Koloye, Usman Buka, Adamu Mohammed, Lawal Mohammed, Tela Abana, Mustapha Mohammed, Isa Agafi, Belo Modu, Kachala Babagana, Modu Abu and Alhaji Modu Mustapha.
An affidavit presented in court disclosed how a team of the DSS cordoned off the area, intercepted the suspects and carried out the arrests.
The DSS disclosed that it had arrested some suspected terrorists in various places in and around Lagos including Kara, Isheri Berger area; Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Alimosho area; Ijora Badia, Apapa area; and Ebute-Meta in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.
The National Security Adviser had also recently issued a security alert on the likelihood of Boko Haram attacking Lagos seaports following concerns expressed by the United States Embassy on the level of insecurity at the country’s seaports.