12 Boko Haram/ISWAP Suspects Nabbed in Osun to Face Extended Detention Order

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Department of State Services (DSS) the authority to detain 12 suspected terrorists for 60 days, following their arrest on suspicion of involvement in terrorism. The suspects, including 10 individuals alleged to be part of a Boko Haram/ISWAP cell, were apprehended in Osun State, where authorities say they were planning to establish a new terrorist network.

The ruling, made by Justice Emeka Nwite on December 16, 2024, allows the DSS to hold the suspects as they continue their investigation into the planned cell, which authorities say posed a significant threat to national security. The suspects, arrested in the Ilesa East Local Government Area, were allegedly undergoing training to manufacture and detonate Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

According to the DSS, the arrested individuals were believed to be former members of the late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau’s faction, who had fled Sambisa Forest to escape military operations. The agency claims that their activities were part of a broader effort to revive terrorist operations in Nigeria, and that further investigation is critical in uncovering additional members of the group still at large.

Justice Nwite, after hearing an ex-parte motion filed by the DSS, adjourned the matter until March 3, 2025, for mention. He noted that the detention was necessary to safeguard the investigation and prevent the suspects from interfering with ongoing efforts to dismantle the terrorist network.

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In a related case, the court also authorized the DSS to detain two other suspects, Ayomide Akintunde and Nurudeen Adesiyan, for 60 days. The pair, arrested on December 19, 2024, were allegedly linked to a Moroccan terrorist, under investigation for jihadist activities and planning terrorist attacks in Nigeria. According to DSS, the suspects’ release could compromise the investigation, which has expanded to international dimensions.

The DSS emphasized that both sets of suspects are providing critical information that could help arrest additional members of the network. The agency stressed that allowing their release at this stage could jeopardize the security of Nigeria and its global allies.