Security operatives in Kaduna on Wednesday night raided a suspected hideout of a Boko Haram leader, who was said to be on the run from Maiduguri, Borno State.
Our correspondent gathered that a combined team of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Service and the men of the Nigeria Police Force spent long hours raiding the building housing the suspected Boko Haram leader at the 4, Fulani Road in the Ugwan Dosa area of Kaduna State.
According to Punch, It was gathered that the suspected Boko Haram leader was said to have escaped with his wife through a make-shift escape route, covered with thick painted cartons, which looked like the fence of the house.
The building was said to have been leased out to the suspect, one Mallam Muhammed Mai Borno, who was said to have moved into the premises with his wife last year.
Already, the owner of the property had been whisked away by security agencies for further interrogation.
Meanwhile, a resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the suspect(Muhammad Mai Borno) actually moved into the house last year with the wife.
He said the suspected Boko Haram chief remained silent about his children upon enquiries.
“When we asked after his children, he said they are in school somewhere in the North-East and we discovered that he is always travelling and we never suspected any foul play until we started hearing gun shots in the night,” the source said.
Usman Ahmed, another resident, said security operatives arrived the area around 12 midnight and within a few minutes, the area was cordoned off, followed by sporadic gun shots.
He said, “I was woken up by the gun shots. Initially, I thought it was a robbery and I called the leader of the vigilance group in the area, who assured me that there is no cause for alarm.
“When the gun shots persisted, I tried to call some of my neighbours that I can remember their phone numbers. It was then that one of them told me that from his window, he sighted security men and he believed the gun shots are from them. I became comfortable and told my family to go back to bed assuring them that all was well.”