Boko Haram spies

A Christian suspect who confessed to providing intelligence to Boko Haram extremists in the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic church that killed 44 worshippers has been arrested.

He was arrested with three other suspects in Bauchi.

Self-defense fighter Sani Musawa said Wednesday that his group arrested Victor Moses and turned him over to the Nigerian military. He may be the first Christian arrested for belonging to Nigeria’s home-grown Islamic extremist group.

Musawa said Moses was often seen loitering around a mosque in northeastern Bauchi town. He said Moses claimed he wanted to convert to Islam.

Boko Haram has attacked many more mosques than churches. The mastermind of the attack on St. Theresa’s, in central Nigeria, is serving a life sentence for the deadliest attack on a church in the 7-year-old insurgency.

The headquarters of 33 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army Bauchi, is keeping the four suspects accused of being terrorist spies.

The three others are Abubakar Shettima, Salisu Mohammed Bello and Umar Sadiq Madaki. Army authorities said they have been carrying out surveillance mission for the Boko Haram terrorists on target for suicide bombings or attacks.

Luck ran out for them when Victor Moses went to a mosque in Bauchi and pretended that he wanted to be converted to Islam and the people suspecting that he was not genuine, promptly reported the matter.

On interrogation he confirmed that he was working for an Islamic cleric in Gombe (now at large) and that their point of contact was Abubakar Shetima based in Jos.

He confessed to spying targets for suicide bomb attacks including that of the Catholic Church Madalla, Suleja, Niger State on Christmas day, 25th December 2011.

The accused persons are currently undergoing further interrogation, were paraded by the Commander 33 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General Abraham Dusu at the Brigade’s Headquarters, Shadawanka Barracks, Bauchi on Monday.