Mr Babagana Bulama, the DSS Director in charge of Adamawa, revealed this at the 2022 1st Zonal Quarterly Conference of State Directors of Security, North-East region, in Maiduguri on Thursday, March 03, 2022.
He said available intelligence suggested that ISWAP, a splinter group of Boko Haram, has embarked on training suicide bombers in the North-East region with the aim of attacking security agencies and vulnerable communities, NAN reported.
Bulama described as very worrisome the intelligence report that elements of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) have converged in the Lake Chad area, within Nigerian territory.
The DSS boss stressed that the ISGS found the Lake Chad as safe haven after fleeing Mali following a sustained offensive against them by the Russian mercenaries.
He, however, maintained that, in line with its statutory mandate, the Service is committed to ensuring national security, while stressing the need for teamwork and collaboration among other agencies to achieve that.
Bulama also stated that the DSS was ready to maintain harmonious working relationship with other relevant stakeholders in national security management to achieve a common goal.
He said, “Although, attacks by the insurgents in parts of the zone recently reduced owing to counter terrorism operations by security forces, available intelligence has indicated that ISWAP are training suicide bombers with a view to carry out deadly attacks on security agencies and vulnerable communities.
“Most worrisome is recent intelligence on the convergence of elements of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), in the Lake Chad area, within Nigerian territory.
“These terrorists who fled Mali following increased military pressure from Russian mercenaries, see the Lake Chad area as safe haven and apparently, have come to support ISWAP to continue its terrorists activities.
“Furthermore, kidnappers and bandits have persistently exploited the vast ungoverned spaces (mountains and forests) in the zone as hideouts from where they carry out their nefarious activities.
“Investigations indicated that, some of these criminal elements came from the North West and North Central zones where they were dislodged by security forces,” Bulama added.
AON
