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| Habib Bama |
Details
of the capture of Boko Haram high ranking operative, Bama, in
Damaturu, Yobe State, emerged last night with a source saying he was
shot in what is called Sudden Operation in security circles.
This kind of operation happens by chance.
Bama died early yesterday of gunshot wounds he received while being arrested by security men at a Damaturu market.
Sources
said Bama was surrounded at the time by his body guards who were armed
to the teeth, and the only way he could be arrested was to demobilise
him, which was effected by shooting him in the leg.
Two men, described as key members of the sect were arrested with Bama and are now undergoing interrogation.
A
top source gave an insight into the operation and said: “What happened
actually was that it was a Sudden Operation or a happenstance. Somebody
in the JTF team just spotted him buying something in the midst of
heavily armed members of the sect and the JTF men went for him.
“The
routine operation would have been fatal for the JTF men if they had
attempted to capture Bama. Being a wanted figure, the JTF did not know
the extent to which he was armed with his foot men.
“The
real intention was to incapacitate him. That was why he was shot in the
leg. But he bled much between the spot and the medical centre.
“The
JTF men knew he was an important figure but if he was not immediately
incapacitated, he could escape because he knew Damaturu and Yobe very
well. He was familiar with the terrain.
“And
the shooting really helped as some armed members of the sect, who
accompanied him, ran away, having realised that the game was up.
“Even
at that, Bama was given the best of medical treatment to save his life.
In the midst of the battle to save his life, he provided some lead for
JTF.
“As
JTF men were battling to evacuate Bama and stave off reprisals, they
managed to arrest two key members of the sect, who were also
demobilised.
“These
two suspects, who accompanied Bama to the market, are still being
interrogated and may be flown to Abuja latest by Friday night.
“I can tell you that they have made useful statements.”
Bama
could not survive the gunshot wounds and was certified dead early
yesterday by doctors who had battled for several hours to save his
life.
Security
has subsequently been beefed up in and around Yobe and Borno states
following fears of retaliatory action by members of the sect.
Investigation
by our correspondent revealed that the condition of the dismissed army
private deteriorated late on Thursday with his pulse ‘suddenly’dropping.
Doctors’ efforts to restore his breath failed.
His
corpse was transferred to a morgue in Damaturu, but it could not be
immediately ascertained if the authorities would approve Islamic burial
(Janazah) for him.
A
top source in the Joint Task Force (JTF) said: “Dismissed Army Private,
Habib Bama, who masterminded several bombings by Boko Haram in the
Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Plateau States is dead.
“He
died of gunshot wounds he received on Thursday during his arrest by the
Joint Task Force in Damaturu, Yobe State. .“He was critically wounded
on Thursday when we tried to arrest him and he resisted. He died this
morning (Friday) from the gunshot wounds.”
The
source added: “He was clinically certified dead in the early hours of
Friday. I cannot tell you where he died and the morgue we have kept the
corpse.
“But
I can say that security agencies were able to interrogate him even
while in pain and he was able to respond to some questions.”
The
source, however, said the JTF has beefed up security in the Borno-Yobe
axis because of likely retaliatory measures by members of the sect.
“It
was unfortunate that Bama died of gunshots. We had planned to fly him
to Abuja for the best treatment, but he could not just make it.
“The
JTF has been mandated to strengthen security in Borno and Yobe states
because of reprisals from members of Boko Haram, who are well entrenched
in the two states.
The
late Bama was implicated in the bombings at Mogadishu Barracks, Police
Headquarters, UN Building, St Theresa’s Catholic Church at Madalla and
many sites in Jos.
He was declared wanted by Security agents after the Madalla church bomb blast.
The manhunt for Bama commenced on February 15, 2012 when the State Security Service (SSS) declared him wanted.
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