NIGERIA: Female Boko Haram terrorists arrested

Nigerian soldiers have arrested three suspected female Boko Haram terrorists who have been secretly recruiting ladies into the female wing of the terrorists group, Boko Haram, the Defence Headquarters said in a statement.  




The statement, issued in Abuja on Friday, was signed by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu for the Director of Defence Information.


It said their arrest was an aftermath of a failed suicide bombing attempt on a military facility by a female terrorist, who blew herself up in Gombe recently.


It said the suspects, Hafsat  Bako, Zainab Idris and Aisha Abubakar, were intercepted  while traveling to Madagali  in Adamawa from where "they were to transit to the forest to reunite with their cohorts.


"Investigations revealed that the suspects, led by Hafsat, have the mission to recruit members into the female wing of the terrorist group as well as conduct espionage for the group.


"Hafsat's link with the terrorists group had been a subject of investigation since 2012 when security agents on a man-hunt for one Usman Bako, her husband, who was identified as a terrorist, stormed their residence in Jimeta," it said.


The statement said that the man-hunt resulted in the discovery of an AK- 47 rifle and two loaded magazines


It added that Bako later died in an encounter with troops in Sokoto where he had relocated to continue his terrorist activities.


The statement said that Hafsat continued with the terror group, specialising in surreptitious recruitment of members into their fold.


"The three female suspects were luring ladies, especially widows and young girls, by enticing them with male suitors who are mainly members of their terror group for marriage.


"Before their arrest, they were on a mission to take additional briefing from the leadership of the terror group.

"The trio have been operating together as members of the intelligence team of the group and their arrest has yielded information still being verified by security agencies," the statement said.