Army arrests 486 Northerners in Abia

The Nigerian Army has arrested 486 people of Northern extraction and have identified them as Boko Haram suspects.

The incident took place yesterday as the suspects who were moving in a convoy of 33 buses were stopped along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway by soldiers  stationed at Asa in the Ukwa West Local Government area of Abia State.

The Northerners which included 33 females and mostly males between the ages of 16 and 24 were rounded up and taken to the the headquarters of the 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Asa.

Addressing newsmen, Base Commander, Rasheed Omolori, a Lieutenant, said the suspects claimed to be on a job hunt.

Abia State Information and Strategy Commissioner, Eze Chikamnayo said, “I want to thank His Excellency, the Governor of Abia State, Chief T.A Orji, for creating the enabling environment and investing resources for security personnel to do their job effectively.

“I also want to salute the officers and men of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for being alive to their responsibilities.

“I expect every state to work hand in hand with their security personnel to check insurgency.

“Every security problem is local and if we handle it locally, it will be nipped in the bud”, the commissioner said, noting that in the days of kidnapping, it was taken as an Abia problem and condemned the idea of demonstrating in Abuja over matters that could be handled locally.