JTF kills terrorist kingpins •Abducted German killed in shoot-out

IT was a bad day for the highest decision making organ of a terrorists group, known as SURA when six strong members of the group were killed by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in Kano, on Thursday.

The six kingpins of the dreaded sect were killed in a shoot-out with security agents in connection with other foreign agencies.

It was gathered that members of the SURA were holding a meeting, when on a tip-off, the security agents stormed the venue of the meeting.

However, a German who was being held hostage by the sect was unfortunately killed during the shoot-out.

The security agents were not aware that the German  hostage was being held by the sect members before engaging them.

The German national, Raufach Edgar, who was working with Dantata and Sawoe was abducted on Zaria road in Kano on January 26.

All efforts to rescue him since then had failed as his whereabouts was not known.

According to a statement signed by  JTF Kano spokesman,  Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, a copy of which was made available on Thursday to the Nigerian Tribune, in  “the early hours of this morning (31/5/2012), precisely at about   0635 hours, based on intelligence of an ongoing meeting of senior commanders of the terrorist elements, the JTF raided an enclave near Bayero University, Kano new site, where the terrorists’ senior commanders were meeting.”

According to him, on sighting the security forces, the terrorists opened fire and threw Improvised Explosive Devices at the security forces.

The security forces responded immediately resulting in a gun duel that lasted for about 30 minutes with five of the terrorists killed.

When a search was carried out on the premises, the security forces found the handcuffed gruesomely murdered corpse of an expatriate, later identified as Raufach Edgar, a German national,  who was kidnapped on January 26, 2012 on Zaria bye pass, Kano. The German was apparently killed by the terrorists on noticing the security forces.

During a further search of the terrorists’ hideout, the security forces recovered two AK-47 rifles, huge quantity of ammunition, 36 hand grenades and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) stored by the terrorists for possible attack against innocent persons and security personnel.

The JTF reassured members of the international community and the general public of the determination of the security forces to protect lives and properties of law-abiding citizens.

It also thanked the people of Kano for their cooperation, by providing prompt information to the security agencies bordering on public safety.

Source - Tribune