THE Director, State Security Service (SSS), Kano State, Mr Bassy Eteng, has paraded a middle-aged man, Alhaji Ayuba Usman,
who was found in possession of 35 big drums of highly combustible chemicals and substances being used to make bomb and other Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by terrorists to kill innocent people.
“Chemicals are controlled items and they are supposed to be sold to people legitimately for economic use, but we found some individuals selling them to members of the public who turn them to harm innocent persons,” Eteng said.
Disclosing this while addressing pressmen on Wednesday in Kano, Eteng said the arrest of Usman was effected after a tip-off by a suspect already in the custody of security operatives.
He said: “You were aware of yesterday’s operation. Today is a further build-up. The suspect brought before you is a suspect who we found, from investigations, has links with some extremist elements.
“Based on the statement made by the high-profile suspect the service is dealing with, we were able to know that the suspect, Ayuba Usman, had been providing very combustible chemicals to the extremist group.
These are the chemicals being used in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs),” he stated.
According to him, “he was arrested yesterday in Kano. He is the owner of all the substances found in his shop. These substances are controlled items.
“The suspects in custody were able to identify their main link, from whom they were getting the above materials in Kano. They mix this thing with fertiliser.
This happened to be Ayuba Usman.
“He was not just picked up just because he was selling those materials, but those in custody also identified him, described him, where his shop is and that led us to arrest him.”
Eteng, therefore, added that the command was “following the issue very painstakingly to be able to know what is happening.
Apart from just arresting suspects or going after suspects, who were involved in throwing out these materials to kill innocent people in Kano and other parts of the country, there is the need for us to go deeper to be able to know the network and know the source of this issue.”
