A Boko Haram chieftain on the wanted list of the military has been arrested in a Lagos church by a local vigilante group, Civilian JTF at the weekend. Also arrested were five other suspects, picked up at different spots in the state.


It was gathered that the suspects identities allegedly matched those on the list of 100 most wanted terrorists released by the military recently.

Head of the vigilante group, the Mai-Kanuribe of Lagos and the Seriki Hausawa of Ijora Kingdom, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed said at a conference yesterday in Ijora that five of the suspects were arrested on Friday. He said the sixth suspect Adam, was arrested in a church in FESTAC town, where he was hiding.

According to him, until his arrest, Adam was hiding inside an abandoned 40-feet container inside the church. Mohammed identified the other five suspects as Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Ahmed, Goigoi Kamsalem, Ibrahim Mohammed and Babagana Blam Ali.

He said while Abubakar Ahmed, Goigoi Kamsalem and Ibrahim Mohammed hail from Baga Local Government council of Bornu, Ibrahim Ali hails from Bama Local, while Babagana Blam Ali hails from Konduga Local Government council of Bornu State.

He added that Ibrahim Ali and Babagana Blam Ali were arrested in their hideouts at Isheri area of Berger tollgate.

According to him, Abubakar Ahmed, Goigoi Kamsalem and Ibrahim Mohammed were arrested in the Victoria Island area of the metropolis where they were hiding in their friend’s house. He said the suspects were looking unkempt with signs of starvation, Guardian reports.

According to him, the suspected are being transported to Bornu State where they are wanted by the military.

"Adam is one of the top most wanted Boko Haram members on the wanted list of the military. We got intelligence report that Adam was hiding inside an abandoned 40-feet container in church premises. It was the security man attached to the church that hid him inside the container.

"When we arrived the church premises looking for him, the security man attached to the church was not around then. The container was locked from the outside with a padlock. The pastor of the church was embarrassed to see us, but by the time we explained our mission to him, he in company with others gave us the go ahead and by the time we broke open the padlock, Adam was hiding in the far corner of the container. As soon as the Pastor sighted the suspect, he started singing praises," he added.