Nigeria Police arrest Boko Haram’s ‘Chief Butcher

Boko Haram Chief Butcher, Mohammed Zakari

Nigeria Police on Tuesday 15 July said that following the massive onslaught by security forces on the activities of the insurgent group, Boko Haram, at the Balmo Forest Bauchi State, detectives attached to Bauchi State Police Command on Saturday arrested one Mohammed Zakari, a 30-year old man and senior member of the Boko Haram terrorists’ organization along Darazo-Basrika Road while fleeing from the intensive counter insurgency operations going on around the Balmo Forest.

In a statement by Frank Mba, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police said the suspect, who hails from Kaigamari Village, Daptchari in Darazo Local Government Area, Bauchi State is the self-styled “chief butcher” of the insurgent group at the Balmo Forest Camp and is linked with the recent slaughter of seven (7) people, including women and children.

Findings as well as disclosures from the suspect will assist the law enforcement agencies in tracking down some other members of the terror cell.

Mba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police said in the statement that investigation revealed that the suspect was tutored in the art of insurgency at Gombe Forest under the leadership of fleeing insurgent, Abba Taura and moved to Balmo Forest only three months ago.
Zakari actively participated in the April attack against Customs officers at Kari Town, along Maiduguri Road, Bauchi State.

The Police High Command therefore called on the citizens in the affected areas to be on guard for any suspicious or strange character fleeing from Balmo Forest.

The Police also called for the understanding and support of the public. Mba stated the efforts of the police and other security forces in tackling insurgency, terrorism and other related crimes headlong.
He noted that although the war on terrorism is unrelenting, it is certainly not insurmountable and must be won with the cooperation of all.