As Nigeria struggles to curb the violent activities of the dreaded Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, international intelligence agencies have uncovered plans by al-Qaeda, to launch fresh attacks on Nigeria, Ghana and two other African countries.
Authoritative investigations showed that the targeted countries are those receiving help from Western nations on how to prevent terrorists onslaught.
Al-Qaeda, which was founded by the late Osama bin Laden, has launched attacks all over the world.
Newsmen gathered that Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the al-Qaeda plot to a national daily.
Mba, however, noted that such threats were received in the past, and added that security agencies were determined to ensure the group’s plan did not succeed.
According to him, the police are receiving immense support from developed countries that have counter- terrorism expertise.
Al-Qaeda‘s foot prints abound in Nigerian as it has cells in the northern part of the country and had also claimed responsibility for some terrorist activities.
It would be recalled that in April 2012, the State Security Service arrested Mohammed Ashafa said to be al-Qaeda linkman with a terror group in Nigeria.
Ashafa was reportedly apprehended by the Pakistani government through the National Intelligence Agency and handed over to the Federal Government for prosecution.
When he was arraigned at the Federal High Court, the SSS told the court that the accused person facilitated terrorist exchange programmes between al-Qaeda and its allies in Nigeria.
The intelligence agency further said its investigations showed that Ashafa was allegedly the second in command to one Adnan Ibrahim, who was said to be the Resident al-Qaeda chief in West Africa, but based in Kano.
