INSIDE JOB: KADUNA & ABUJA TERROR ATTACKS: Army, Police Arrest 22 Officers On Duty When Terror Attacks ook place 10…Soldiers AND 12 Policemen

The police and army authorities have separately begun investigations into the twin bombings at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, and the attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad headquarters in Abuja, PUNCH investigations revealed. According to PUNCH, army authorities had arrested 10 soldiers, including men and officers on duty when the incident occurred on Sunday. It was also learnt that 12 policemen were currently being detained over the terror attack on the SARS headquarters on Monday.  It was reliably gathered that both agencies – the military and the police – suspected that the attacks were carried out with the assistance of internal collaborators. There are also indications that the Jaji attacks might affect several military personnel as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, had condemned the laxity that led to the incident, thereby giving a strong indication that “heads may roll”. This, investigations showed, might lead to the sack of some soldiers, who would also be court-marshalled. PUNCH reliably gathered that the military authorities were of the view that it would be difficult for such an operation to have been executed without the collaboration of insiders. Investigators, it was learnt, were working on a theory that the second vehicle came into the premises through a route at the back of the college.  Apart from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, which is in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the formation is host to four other strategic military institutions. They are the Warrant Officers Academy, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Infantry Corps Headquarters. It was gathered that the military high command is not leaving anything to chance about the ongoing investigations into the Jaji blasts, which sent jitters across the country. On the attack on SARS, investigations showed that contrary to the claim by the police, five Boko Haram members escaped during the incident. It was also gathered that some of the attackers wore military and police uniforms. When PUNCH contacted and asked about the arrest of policemen, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a chief superintendent of police, said he was not aware of any arrest. “I don’t know whether some policemen were arrested in connection with the attack on SARS”, he said over the telephone on Thursday. - PUNCH