Nigerian authorities detain top militant in Abuja
A man suspected of being one of the most-wanted members of the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group has been detained in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Nigerian military says.
Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters said in a statement on Monday that the suspect, identified as Chindo Bello, was identified and apprehended as he tried to board a flight to Lagos, the country's commercial hub.
The militant was handed over to military intelligence for questioning, it noted.
"Following a tip-off by security agents and good citizens, a wanted Boko Haram terrorist suspect Chindo Bello, was arrested at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja,” the statement said, adding, "The suspect was apprehended by Aviation Security as he was boarding an Aero Contractors' flight to Lagos. He has since been handed over to the Military Intelligence for further interrogation."
The arrest came days after the military released a list of 100 most-wanted Boko Haram suspects. The identities of the suspects were disclosed during a recent anti-Boko Haram campaign in Maiduguri, in Nigeria's militancy-riddled northeastern Borno State.
Nigeria has intensified its crackdown on Boko Haram as the terrorist group continues to wreak havoc across the country through bombings, raids and kidnappings.
The Boko Haram militancy has also spilled over into several neighboring African nations.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has made a multinational force of 8,700 central to his strategy in tackling the crisis.
Troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger have been battling Boko Haram terrorists in recent months.
Boko Haram's ringleader Abubakar Shekau has repeatedly threatened to attack countries that have joined forces against the militants.
The Boko Haram militancy began in 2009, when the terrorist group started an armed rebellion against the government. At least 17,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million made homeless since then.
The terrorists have pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiri terror group, which is primarily operating inside Syria and neighboring Iraq.
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