Shettima Lawan Maina, Caretaker Chairman of Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, was arrested on Friday night by the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole for hiding a Boko Haram top Commander (name withheld) in his residence at 1000 Housing Estate, Maiduguri.
Military sources, which disclosed this on Saturday, said the arrests followed a tip-off. Also, sources living within the housing estate as the chairman, said it did not come to them as a surprise.
It would be recalled that the capture of Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of Boko Haram terrorists by troops, led to the fleeing of many terrorists to Maiduguri and other safe havens. Mafa council area is 40 kilometres east of Maiduguri.
Residents and the council chairman’s neighbours disclosed that the military and other security operatives stormed the house after receiving intelligence report that a top Boko Haram commander had sneaked into the house for safety.
A military source said: “Already, both the top Boko Haram Commander and the Chairman have been detained in a military facility to enable thorough investigation as to how a wanted terrorist will sneak into the house of a council chairman.
“This is, knowing fully well, that politicians of such caliber do not usually allow access to their house for abode or to hide.”
