Security agents comb North for more Hezbollah cells

Security operatives have begun a massive search for Hezbollah armoury and terror cells in the North.

Security operatives had on Thursday found an armoury and terror cell at No. 3, Gaya Road, Off Bompai Road, Kano. The building was said to be owned by a Lebanese who was out of the country when the discovery was made.

Our correspondents gathered that members of the Nigerian intelligence community have been investigating links between foreign terror organisations operating in the Middle East and the ones operating in the country.

These links it is believed, are responsible for the growing sophistication of the attacks by the Boko Haram sect.

A security source who confided in one of our correspondents, said the high number of foreign elements from counties like Chad, Niger, and Mali have given room for Boko Haram to spread its tentacles.

The source who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said, "We now know the size of what we are up against.

"Recall that following our recent successes, the leader of the sect pleaded with insurgents from Pakistan and Afghanistan to come and join the fight."

He added that following the discovery of the Hezbollah cell, security agents are searching for similar ones in the North.

"Yes, we believe the Hezbollah cell in Kano is not the only one. We are looking for more particularly in the North," he said.

The Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen Chris Olukolade, on Friday described the arrest of the Lebanese operators of the Hezbollah cell in Kano as a "major breakthrough."

He said, "All we can say is that it is a good development in favour of the efforts of security agencies to rid the country of illegal arms and make the country more secure. It is a major breakthrough."


Punch