Some members of the Community Volunteer Guards in Benue State have arrested five suspected foreign fighters known as Ambazonian Fighters in the state.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Security, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (retd) said the foreign fighters linked to Boko Haram were arrested on Monday afternoon at Jato Aka roundabout, near a drinking bar.
The suspects were identified as Stanley Vincent, 25; Samuel Obem, 26 ; David Ojong, Ronado Njeke, 42 and Emmanuel Ngum.
Hemba said one of the suspects, Stanley, when questioned, disguised to be personnel with the Nigerian Army serving at Ojo, Lagos State.
The special adviser explained that Stanley claimed to have been assigned by his boss to escort them to Cameroon, adding that they became suspicious when his identity card was not found on him.
The statement read in part, “On August 22, 2022, around 3pm at Jato Aka roundabout, near Dzoho Aondofa Drinking Joint, Kwande LGA, BSCVG arrested Five Ambazonian Fighters suspected to have had linked with not only Boko Haram but also Ambazonians fighting the Republic of Cameroon for years.
“ Further checks revealed that chemical weapons which carry a labels ‘DANGER’, military uniform, charms, and ammunition were found on the Ambazonians who further disclosed to have stayed at Agogo Hotel, Jato Aka, for a period of six months uninterruptedly, a hotel owned by one Dooorun Agogo.”
The suspects were reportedly handed over to police in Adikpo, headquarters of Kwande Local Government Area.
The security adviser said the criminal activities of the suspects might not be unconnected to armed robbery and kidnapping incidents which had occurred in the council area in the past six months.