JTF recovers bombs, guns in Adamawa raids

A combined team of soldiers, policemen and State Security Service officials have recovered bombs and guns during house-to-house searches in Mubi, Adamawa State, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Brigade Commander, 23rd Amoured Brigade, Yola, Brig.-Gen. John Nwaoga, confirmed this in Mubi on Monday.

This came as suspected kidnappers abducted two children of a businessman, Osayawe Iyamu, in Benin and the kidnap of the son-in-law of Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda.

Nwaoga said the searches were carried out following the killings and attacks on communication masts in Mubi.

He said the efforts yielded results with arms and ammunition, including explosives, recovered.

He said that one suspect, who engaged the security agents in a shootout, was killed.

The army chief, who did not give the number of persons arrested, said those arrested would be screened.

The state government has since imposed 24-hour curfew in Mubi for the past two days.

Iyamu’s driver, whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, was said to be driving the children to school when the gunmen struck.

The incident occurred close to the businessman’s house located at Iguosa, behind the 7UP Bottling plant, Oluku near Benin.

Residents of the area, who rushed out of their houses to witness the incident, reportedly fled on sighting the kidnappers brandishing their guns.

Some of the residents believed the driver argued with the kidnappers, prompting them to shoot him.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Anthony Airhuoyo, said he had yet to be briefed.

Narrating the incident to NAN in Bauchi on Monday, Garba Dahiru, said Yuguda’s in-law, Mohammed Abubakar, was kidnapped at about 5am on his way to the mosque.

Dahiru said, “He, along with his son and a son to his elder brother were heading for the mosque when some gunmen attacked and took him away in their car.”

Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Ladan, confirmed the incident, saying one person had been arrested in connection with Abubakar’s abduction.