UPDATED: 5 to face trial for Nyanya bombing

Suspected members of Boko Haram who allegedly carried out the April 14, 2014 bombing of a bus garage at Nyanya, near Abuja, were paraded before journalists on Monday by the State Security Service (SSS).

Over 70 persons were confirmed dead in the blast which the insurgents’ leader, Abubakar Shekau, claimed responsibility for in a video message three weeks later.

All the five suspects confessed to the crime and they are expected to be charged to court soon.

Boko Haram has demanded that its detained members be released in exchange for the freedom of 276 girls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno, less than 24 hours after the Nyanya blast.

The security agencies are still investigating a second blast which took place on May 1, 2014, killing 20 persons.

A press statement by the SSS named the suspects as Ahmad Rufai Abubakar (aka Abu Ibrahim/Mai-Turare), Muhammadu Sani Ishaq, Adamu Yusuf, Yau Saidu (a.k.a. Kotar Rama) and Anas Isah.

The statement gave the following details.

AHMAD RUFAI ABUBAKAR (a.k.a Abu Ibrahim/Maiturare): AHMED was arrested on 22nd April, 2014 at Gwantu, Sanga LGA of Kaduna State by a Joint security team. He is a forty-three (43) year old indigene of Yarimawa, Kazaure LGA, Jigawa State. He has admitted that shortly after the bomb blast of April 14, 2014, one Rufai Abubakar TSIGA (a.k.a. Dr. TSIGA), now at large, confirmed to him that he (TSIGA) and other members of the Boko Haram sect carried out the attack at Nyanya Motor Park to retaliate the killing of a sect member at the same Park eight (8) days earlier.

The said Rufai Abubakar TSIGA (a.k.a. Dr. TSIGA) hails from Angwan Gabas, Gidan Mammai, Tsiga Town, Bakori LGA, Katsina State. Ahmad Rufai ABUBAKAR confirmed that Rufai Abubakar TSIGA sent him recharge card credit of N800 after the bombing incident. That it was later discovered that the phone of one Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ was used in sending him the credit.

According to Ahmad Rufai ABUBAKAR (a.k.a Maiturare), Rufai Abubakar TSIGA also told him that Boko Haram National Leader had directed that all members of the sect should relocate with their families to ‘Gaaba’ (Boko Haram forest camp) in preparation for mass attacks against the Nigerian State.

MUHAMMADU SANI ISHAQ: SANI was arrested on 24th April, 2014 at Utako Village behind Julius Berger Yard, Utako, following the disclosure made by Ahmad Rufai ABUBAKAR (a.k.a Maiturare). He is a thirty (30) year old indigene of Balari village, Ajingi LGA of Kano State. SANI was a sales boy in Rufai Abubakar TSIGA’s patent medicine store at Utako called “Kishi Clinic”, a structure which also served as a base for Boko Haram’s covert activities in the FCT.

He revealed that two (2) days before the Nyanya blast, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA (a.k.a Dr. Rufai TSIGA), his boss, informed him around 4.00pm after prayers that there was a plan to bomb a facility in Abuja but stated that he was never informed of the exact location. He further revealed that Rufai TSIGA later informed him that the bombs to be used for the blast were being coupled at the residence of one Adamu YUSUF.

According to SANI, a day before the Nyanya bombing, precisely 13th April, 2014, he and TSIGA drove the car laden with explosives and parked it behind four (4) buses inside the Nyanya Bus Park overnight, after which they left the area. He revealed that before 7.00am the following morning, Rufai TSIGA went and detonated the explosives.

According to him, two (2) cars were wired for attack. He claimed one was used for the April 14, 2014 incident, which was a retaliatory attack on the motor park by the Boko Haram sect whose member was mobbed and killed a week before the bombing incident when he was intercepted with firearms at the Nyanya Motor Park. (However, this story of killing of a Boko Haram member at the Nyanya Motor Park a week earlier would appear untrue but was fabricated by TSIGA to elicit the interest of SANI and other sect members used for the attack).

YAU SAIDU (A.K.A KOTAR RAMA): YAU was arrested on 29th April, 2014 at his village, Dandambo, Tsanyawa LGA, Kano State. He is twenty-eight (28) years old. Before his arrest, SAIDU was an apprentice under Rufai TSIGA at his medicine store in Utako village market. Although he denied membership of the Boko Haram sect, he claimed that his Uncle, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA and Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ attempted to enlist him several times.

He identified the perpetrators of the Nyanya bomb blast as Rufai Abubakar TSIGA, Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ, and Aminu Sadiq OGWUCHE. He also disclosed that on 13th April, 2014 about 1100 hours, a day before the Nyanya bombing, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA and Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ drove out from Utako village market in a “black-coloured Honda Accord” car and returned about 1500 hours. Later the same day, they went out again in the same car and did not return until the following day, 14th April, 2014 about 1100 hours, after the Nyanya bombing incident had occurred.

He alleged that when TSIGA learnt of Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ’s arrest, he fled Utako to an unknown location and left his business in his care. TSIGA equally sent a message to his wife, Hauwa’u on GSM. No: 07067434122 directing her to pack her belongings and flee the area.

ADAMU YUSUF (a.k.a. Mallam Adamu): ADAMU was arrested in Bauchi on 5th May, 2014. He is forty-three (43) years old He has confessed that he is a member of the Boko Haram. Adamu was a cleric at Finance Quarters Mosque, Wuye, Abuja. Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ disclosed that Rufai Abubakar TSIGA confirmed to him that the bombs used for the Nyanya incident were coupled in a bush near the residence of Adamu YUSUF.

Adamu YUSUF however claims that even though he knows Rufai Abubakar TSIGA, the mastermind of the Nyanya bombing, he did not take part in the bombing incident. He mentioned other members of the sect known to him to be: (i.) Rufai Abubakar TSIGA (ii.) Imam Ahmad Rufai ABUBAKAR (a.k.a. Abu Ibrahim/Maiturare) (iii.) AMINU Sadiq OGWUCHE (iv.) Anas ISAH.

He claimed to be an apprentice under Rufai Abubakar TSIGA along with Anas ISAH. ADAMU claimed that on the day of the Nyanya bomb blast, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA, called and told him that he heard of the bomb blast and that it was a job well done.

ANAS ISAH: ANAS was arrested on 3rd May, 2014 at Unguwar Yan-Tagwaye village, Faskari LGA, Katsina State. He is 22 years old and an indigene of Tsiga, Bakori LGA, Katsina State. ANAS came to Abuja in 2011 and hawked yoghurt for about one (1) month before going back to Tsiga. He returned to Abuja again in 2012 and worked as a sales boy in a Pharmacy located at Ruga near Wuye Market.

In 2013, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA invited ANAS to join his “clinic” at Utako village, where he worked for about five (5) months. Although ANAS denied being involved in the April 14, 2014 incident, he identified Mohammadu Sani ISHAQ, and Rufai Abubakar TSIGA as members of the sect especially as the latter had confided in him his membership of the Boko Haram sect.

FINDINGS: From the investigation conducted thus far, the following findings have been established: Rufai Abubakar TSIGA, a Boko Haram leader, is the mastermind of the bombing incident of 14th April, 2014 at El-Rufai Motor Park, Nyanya, Abuja. TSIGA is currently at large.

Rufai Abubakar TSIGA was actively aided by a co-mastermind, Aminu Sadiq OGWUCHE, a student of Arabic Language at the International University of Africa, Sudan. He is from Orokam, Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State. Aminu is currently at large.

In the night of 13th April, 2014, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA and Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ moved the vehicle laden with explosives to the Nyanya Motor Park. In the morning of 14th April, 2014, Rufai Abubakar TSIGA moved the explosives laden vehicle to the position from where he detonated the explosives.

Muhammadu SANI ISHAQ who took part with Rufai Abubakar TSIGA in positioning the explosives laden vehicle that exploded at Nyanya Motor Park, killing scores of Nigerians, is in the custody of this Service. Altogether, five persons who are privy to the bombing incident have been taken into custody and they are: AMINU SADIQ OGWUCHE, Ahmad Rufai ABUBAKAR (a.k.a. Abu Ibrahim/Maiturare); Muhammadu Sani ISHAQ, Yau SAIDU (a.k.a. Kotar Rama), Anas ISAH; and Adamu YUSUF.

Rufai Abubakar TSIGA (a.k.a. Dr. TSIGA) and Aminu Sadiq OGWUCHE are currently at large, and are hereby declared WANTED. The sum of twenty-five million Naira (N25m) is hereby announced as reward for anybody with useful information on their whereabouts.

It is noteworthy that UK-born Aminu Sadiq OGWUCHE with Service Number SVC 95/104 deserted the Nigerian Army in 2006. He served in the Intelligence Unit of the Nigerian Army at Child Avenue, Arakan Barracks, Lagos between 2001 and 2006, and was posted to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 2006.

Aminu Sadiq OGWUCHE was arrested on the 12th November, 2011 at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, on his arrival from the United Kingdom, for suspected involvement in terrorism-related activities but was released on bail on 15th October, 2012 to his father, Col. Agene OGWUCHE (Rtd), following intense pressure from human rights activists who alleged human rights violation.