Due to the strategic way the members of the dreaded Islamic sect Boko Haram has been operating in the last 3 years in certain parts of the North, it was strongly believed that the group must have some strong technocratic backing and this the operatives of the Joint Task Force proved by the arrest and detention of two professionals, a medical doctor and a lawyer, allegedly for their roles in the prevailing violence in the area.
Although, for now the authorities of the Defence Headquarters are silent on the issues that culminated in the arrest of the doctor and the lawyer.
It was gathered that while the doctor was arrested in Maiduguri, Borno State, the lawyer is said to be a prominent defender of the ideology and activities of the insurgents in Potiskum, Yobe’s largest city.
Investigation revealed that the doctor, who is being held in a JTF detention centre, was believed to have links with the World Health Organisation and other international non- government organisations.
A highly placed source in the JTF said the doctor was arrested while riding with suspected Boko Haram members in a pickup van, which was carrying Improvised Explosive Devices, several AK 47 Assault riffles and other dangerous weapons.
It was gathered that the driver and the other occupants refused to stop at a JTF road block and abandoned the truck after engaging the security agents in a gun duel.
It was learnt that the doctor, suspected to be a medical expert to the sect, was caught while attempting to retrieve a forgotten laptop in the van several hours after the incident.
The vehicle was said to be under watch by operatives of the JTF.
But the doctor was said to have told his interrogators that he was doing some work with the World Bank and had to board the pickup van belonging to the terror suspects when he had issues with his car.
Security operatives have dismissed the explanation given by the doctor as untenable, arguing that a doctor, who had issues with his car, could not have been riding with terror suspects in a car loaded with explosives, guns and other dangerous weapons.
It was further leant that several non-governmental organisations, including international human rights body, the Amnesty International, had visited the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, in relation with the arrest of the doctor.
Apart from the shocking arrest of the doctor, the JTF in Yobe is holding a “highly placed lawyer” in Potiskum for suspected act of terrorism.
The lawyer was said to have been arrested and detained as a result of intelligence report that he was aiding terrorism and had always appeared for the insurgents in court.
Security operatives are said to have established some links between the lawyer and the killing of a teacher and 29 students of the Government Secondary School, on July 5.
It was learnt that the lawyer was said to have threatened that Potiskum would not know peace until he was released.
A security operative stated that the school students were killed on the second night of his alleged threat that there would be vengeance for his arrest