Police Arrest 4 Suspects Over Plot To Attack Atiku, Others

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said the Police arrested four suspects who intended to attack organisations associated with him and some other sensitive locations in Yola.

Atiku, in a statement by his media office, said one of the suspects, 29 year-old Jubrila Mohammed, was first arrested at the gate to his (Atiku) residence at about 9:44 pm on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Atiku noted that the suspect who was seeking to confirm his residence confessed to being a Boko Haram member from Damboa in Borno State.

The statement said: “We wish to alert the Nigerian public that at about 9:44 pm on Sunday, 23 July, 2023 a man seeking to confirm the residence of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar in Yola was apprehended at the gate of the residence.

“The man who was apprehended by security operatives at the residence of Atiku Abubakar was later handed over to the police.

“Upon further interrogation by the Police, the suspect identified himself as a 29 year-old Jubrila Mohammed and confessed to being a Boko Haram member from Damboa in Borno State.

“The suspect also informed the Police that he and his colleagues, who were later arrested too, intended to attack organisations associated with Atiku Abubakar and some other sensitive locations in Yola.

“All four suspects have been handed over to military authorities. We commend the police for the work that they continue to do in this particular investigation. We further ask that other relevant security agencies remain on top of their brief”.

But the state police command said yesterday that two persons were arrested by the civilians working in the residence of  Atiku in Yola and were handed over to the military for further investigation.

The civilians attached to Atiku’s house told the police that the first suspect was suspected to be a member of Boko Haram.

The command’s spokesman, SP Suleman Yahaya Nugoroje, confirmed the incident to LEADERSHIP in an interview.

Nugoroje said, “A man was arrested by the civilians at former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar’s house today and was handed over to the military.

“The civilians who apprehended the man alleged that the suspect was a member of Boko Haram. The arrest of the first suspect led to the arrest of his accomplice and they were handed over to the military for further investigation,” he said.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the suspect did not carry out an attack at Atiku’s residence.

LEADERSHIP reports that there was calm at the residence of the former vice president at the time of this report.

The police spokesperson denied issuing a statement on the matter as reported in some national dailies.

Efforts to speak with the 23rd Armoured Brigade on the matter proved abortive as of the time of filing this report last night.