Foster father of Abu Dardaa (otherwise known as Abu Qaqa), the captured former spokesperson of the Boko Haram Islamist fundamentalist sect, was shot dead in Maiduguri on Monday evening by gunmen believed to be members of the killer group.
Also put down on Monday evening by the sect were Abdullahi Bello, a retired deputy comptroller of Nigeria Prisons Service; and another retired Prisons Service officer whose identity was yet unascertained at the time of filing this report.
A top security source disclosed that Abdullahi Bello (popularly known as DC) and his friend were performing ablution in preparation for the sunset (Magrib) prayers at Bello’s residence located around Bayan Quarters when they were shot dead.
Abu Dardaa’s foster, who like Abu hails from Kogi State, had recently returned few days earlier to his house just by the demolished compound of Mohammed Yusuf, the slain Boko Haram leader, having been out of town for long.
“The gunmen came and shot him and his friend while rounding off their ablution at about 6.30pm,” a resident confirmed..
Although the reason for the unexpected killing is a mystery, the resident said that the sect may be sending a message to the arrested Abu, as it is believed that he has been volunteering information to his captors on the sect’s activities.
“The arrested chieftain of the sect has been divulging information to the security operatives and this has given them an edge in their battle against the fundamentalists,” he observed. “Perhaps the only way to keep him quiet is to send a message to him that if he cannot be killed, he could be touched in a way; and that is by killing some of the people who are dear to him.”
Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force (JTF) has announced that it will continue with its house-to-house search in the flashpoints of Boko Haram attacks within the metropolis, as it has proven to be an effective means of apprehending the criminals.
In a statement on Tuesday, spokesman of the task force, Lt Col Sagir Musa, said: “What you are seeing (searching of houses in the area by soldiers) is a routine patrol conducted by the JTF in areas considered as hot spots. We will continue with targeted and deliberate cordon-and-search in places like Abbaganaram, Budum and Jajeri.”
But he urged innocent residents not to panic because they would not be molested. He also begged for their support in the maintenance of law and order.
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