The Nigerian army, led by the Operation Whirl Stroke unit and other security agencies deployed at Uttu in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, made the massive arrest of these terrorists who had both women and children in their camps.
The information was made known to the public through the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche after he posted the update on the DHQ, @DefenceInfoNG Twitter handle.
He mentioned that the terrorist, 410 in number which included women and children, surrendered to men of the Nigerian army.
The army also added that during the operation, the men of the operation whirl stroke recovered several IED (Improvised Explosive Device) making materials at the terrorist camp.
Among the weapons recovered in the bomb making factory included 2 scales, 6 rocket launcher bombs, a bag of fertilizer, half bag of gun powder, 10 locally produced hand grenades, one fuse for a Rocket Propelled Grenade bomb, one locally made Rocket Launcher, 2 IEDs,13 Improvised rocket bombs, amongst others.
While details of this new group is relatively unknown, I made a little check on the background of the group and I discovered some details which I will share.
The Darum Salam sect, way back in 2009, was evacuated by the Niger state government evacuated on suspicion of being a terrorist group.
The Niger state government, evacuated over 3,000 members of the group who had for a long time, secluded themselves in Mokwa, a town of about 100 kilometers from Minna, the state capital.
Information had been given, that the group, Darul-Islam, otherwise known as the Land of Islam, has been functional for over 17 years and through the period, no violence had been reported about any member of the group.
Explaining the operations of the group, the leader, Bashir Suleiman, explained that they decided to isolate themselves based on religious decision but the state government, while acting on a tip-off and the need to rid the state of suspected Boko haram terrorist decided to evacuate them to a camp at the Federal Government Technical College, Mokwa immediately.
Also, checks on the WikiLeaks website also gave some insight into the workings of the group.
Wikileaks reported that In 2010, the Niger State government had evacuated 82 men, women, and children who were Kebbi indigenes and suspected to be members of the Darul Islam religious sect.
They were taken back to Kebbi state and camped at the police station as at then since the gov did not know what to do with them.
The leader of the sect had vehemently rejected this information and argued that the 82 people that were sent back to Kebbi were not from his sect.
He also refused the label given to them by the state government as a terrorist sect insisting they were just a bunch of religious people looking for a place to practice their religion without polluting themselves.
Suleiman also added that among the things prohibited by the sect included alcoholism, brothels, lesbianism, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, and all sorts of cultural, religious, economical corruption.
Further speaking, he explained that their aim is not to infringe on the rights of other people while practicing their religion.
It is rather shocking that today, the army made this huge discovery even after having this warning over the years, and although the former neighbours in the locations where this sect once operated, had confessed that they have lived for about 16 years in a peaceful existence, it, therefore, comes as a surprise as to the magnitude of weapons discovered.
This is calling on the Nigerian army and other security organizations to conduct further and deeper investigations on all other sects masquerading as religious sects to cause mayhem in the country.
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