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Hundreds of suspected Boko Haram members have been arrested in Lagos State, the Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Lagos, Mr Kumar Sanda, has disclosed.
Kumar made the revelation on Wednesday while speaking at an award ceremony in Lagos, where he highlighted the CJTF’s ongoing efforts to prevent the infiltration of Boko Haram insurgents and bandits fleeing the North into Lagos.
At the event held at the Airport Hotel, Lagos, Kumar received the Best Security Group in Lagos award from the Nigerian Human Rights Community.
According to the CJTF Commander, arrests are regularly made at trailer parks, quarries, markets, and other locations where people from the North are known to gather upon arriving in Lagos.
He affirmed the CJTF’s commitment to upholding the mandate of the Lagos State government to ensure the state does not become a haven for insurgents escaping military operations in the North.
“If I should mention the number of Boko Haram members we have arrested in Lagos State, people will not believe it. But we have arrested thousands,” Kumar said.
“The CJTF monitors trailer parks, and quarries, and checks truck pushers because we understand the channels through which they enter Lagos. Our people must remain vigilant. Not all Abokis are bad, but not all are good either. We are committed to keeping Lagos free from Boko Haram and banditry.”
He added, “Boko Haram has no domain in Lagos State. The Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor is constantly in touch with us to ensure the people sleep with their eyes closed.”
Sanda also cautioned against assuming that all terrorists operating in the North are Nigerians. While not absolving Nigerians entirely, he claimed that many insurgents and bandits are non-Nigerians who infiltrate the country’s borders and pose as citizens.
“Whenever you see a man from Borno State, you might feel scared because of Boko Haram,” he said. “But many of those you see are not truly Nigerians. That’s not to say there are no Nigerians among them.
“It’s a fact that Boko Haram originated in Borno State, and we monitor individuals from Borno across Lagos. We know when new arrivals come in because we track the truck routes. A person from Borno can identify others from his state; the same goes for indigenes of Kano and other states.”
