Police arrest suspected terrorist wearing turban in Abuja Catholic Church

0

A middle-aged terrorist suspect in a turban was arrested at the Arch-Angel Rapheal Catholic Church in the Police Barracks, Garki, Abuja on Sunday.

An eyewitness in a video said the commotion started in the church when the suspect who was wearing a turban and a police cap and a faded military uniform suddenly entered the church in a white Peugeot 406 car, claiming that he was looking for his friend.

According to the eyewitness who did not mention his name in the video, when worshipers sounded the alarm and the young man was arrested, he claimed he was from Abia State in the region from southeastern Nigeria, but when asked exactly where he was from in the state, he could not say.

He was eventually handed over to the police for further investigation.

The source said: ‘It’s happening right now here. A terrorist entered my church, Arch-Angel Rapheal Catholic Church, Garki, Abuja Police Barracks.

“He dressed up, turbaned his face, wore a police ‘face’ (baseball) cap and wore a dark shade. We started asking him to stop, but he drove to where the men were having a meeting. We started shouting for people to come out and stop and they stopped him.

“He said he was here to see someone. So they always have a pointer in the church. The guy came and said he (the suspect) wasn’t his friend and he didn’t even know him from anywhere.

According to the speaker, after many interrogations he said he was from Abia State but when asked where in Abia he could not say, rather he said he was looking for one of his relatives in the police barracks who worked with the Inspector General (IG). They had to call the FCT police spokesperson.

“I film his car with drugs and everything. It’s happening on July 3, 2022. It’s like the Catholic churches are their target. Please tighten our seatbelts. The boy is now at Garki police station here,” she said.

When contacted, FCT Abuja Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, told SaharaReporters that no incriminating material had yet been found on the young man, but that further investigation was underway.

The police spokesman said: “A middle-aged man was accosted by some of the worshipers after mass, while the men’s community was having a meeting.

“The main object of suspicion was his dress and the way he drove. The preliminary investigation shows, however, that he had just returned to the country and that he had entered the barracks to look for an old friend whose address he does not clearly remember.

“The church was not attacked, no weapon or prohibited object was found in its possession except for a personalized ‘Police’ ‘face’ cap which is neither an approved kit nor an accessory in police dress, he also wore US Army Fashion faded camouflage pants.

“Although fear and panic erupted due to recent events in parts of the country, normality was immediately restored to the situation as police were on the ground to spring into action.

“While the investigation continues, members of the public are urged to carry out their lawful duties without fear or apprehension. Once again we advise the good people of the Territory to desist from the habit of enacting news exaggerated or outright false in storytelling. We will continue to ensure that the CTF remains safe and peaceful for one and all.

There have been a series of attacks on Catholic churches and priests. For example, on June 5, 2022, terrorists attacked the Catholic Church of St. Francis of Owo in Ondo where no less than 40 worshipers were killed.

Shortly after, gunmen also attacked St. Moses Catholic Church in Kaduna State.

Many Catholic Church priests have also been kidnapped and some have been killed, while others, including two priests kidnapped in Edo State, are still in the lair of their captors.

Share.

Comments are closed.