The Department of State Services (DSS) has 10 suspected members of Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Ilesa, Osun State.A
According to The PUNCH, the arrest was made during an operation was carried out at an old bungalow building close to St. Mary Catholic Church, Ifofin, and Ogbon Idio, Ilesa, in the Ilesa-East Local Government Area of the state.
A team of about 30 DSS operatives carried out the operation, which had been in motion for 90 days.
The suspects, identified as Adamu Abubakar (aka Abu Aisha), Babagana Bashuli, Muhammed Adam, Mustapha Abacha, Katuru Muhammed, Babakura Abacha, Muhammed Ciroma, Ali Gambo, Muhammed Umoru, and Muhammed Bundi, were reportedly undergoing training on manufacturing and detonating explosives at the time of their arrest.
According to DSS findings, the suspects are confirmed members of Boko Haram/ISWAP, and preliminary investigations suggest plans for coordinated terror attacks.
However, the arrest came to public attention on January 10, 2025, when the DSS filed an application with the Federal High Court in Abuja to detain the suspects for 60 days.
The operation took 90 days, involving two separate teams from the DSS headquarters.
The first team was deployed to Ilesa in late September 2024, while the second arrived in mid-November 2024.
However, sources disclosed that the DSS Osun command was excluded from the operation due to fears of compromised intelligence after initial signals on ISWAP activities in Ilesa were reportedly leaked.
The DSS executed the covert operation in Ifofin, Ilesa, Osun State, leading to the arrest of individuals suspected of ties to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The operation, carried out in the early hours without any gunfire, was the result of extensive undercover work and surveillance over several months.
Security sources revealed that the DSS began tracking the suspects in 2023 after receiving intelligence about a potential ISWAP attack on a church in Ilesa.
However, despite an initial setback due to leaked information, the DSS intensified its efforts, which culminated in the December 16 operation.
The suspects were apprehended with materials linked to ISWAP and bomb-making equipment.
The operation involved tactical teams from outside Osun, who meticulously monitored the suspects’ activities and environment for 30 days before making the arrests.
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