DSS director: ISWAP training its members to carry out suicide bombings in north-east

Babagana Bulama, the director of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) in Adamawa, says the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), is training its members to attack security agencies in the north-east.

According to NAN, he said this on Thursday at the 2022 first zonal quarterly conference of state directors of security in the north-east region.

The director said although attacks in the region have subsided, available intelligence showed that the group is planning attacks on vulnerable communities as well.

“Although attacks by the insurgents in parts of the zone recently reduced owing to counter terrorism operations by security forces, available intelligence has indicated that ISWAP is training [members on] suicide bombing with a view to carrying out deadly attacks on security agencies and vulnerable communities,” he said.

“Most worrisome is recent intelligence on the convergence of elements of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) in the Lake Chad area within Nigerian territory.

“These terrorists who fled Mali following increased military pressure from Russian mercenaries, see the Lake Chad area as safe haven and apparently, have come to support ISWAP to continue its terrorist activities.

“Furthermore, kidnappers and bandits have persistently exploited the vast ungoverned spaces (mountains and forests) in the zone as hideouts from where they carry out their nefarious activities.

“Investigations indicated that some of these criminal elements came from the north-west and north-central zones where they were dislodged by security forces.”

He, however, said the DSS is committed to collaborating with other security agencies in ensuring national security.

On his part, Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, promised that his administration will continue to support the security forces in the fight against insurgency.

 The governor, who was represented by Isa Marte, his chief of staff, said the government accords priority to security.

Also present was Christopher Musa, the commander of operation Hadin Kai, who commended the DSS for its successful operations in the fight against insurgency and other crimes in the north-east and the country at large.