Friday, 11 July 2014

Search for bombs: 2 still in detention, released Imam invited by soldiers in Aba

Two persons said to be teachers at the New Horizon Academy, a school attached to the Aba Central Mosque in Abia State and who were among the 15 persons arrested on Monday when soldiers raided some mosques in Aba allegedly in search of bombs, are still in custody.
This is even as the Chief Imam of the Aba Central Mosque, Alhaji Idris Bashir, who was arrested alongside 15 others on Monday but later released, was invited to the Ngwa High School military base at about 4 p.m. yesterday by soldiers.
The two teachers still being detained by the army as at the time of filing this report are Abdulraham Sani, the director of the school, the chemistry teacher and Abdulmajid Abubarkar, the principal/English teacher.
Recall that two Imams and 13 other members of the Muslim community in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State were  arrested by soldiers on Monday.
While 13 of the arrested 15 Muslim leaders had been released, two teachers of the school are still being detained at a military facility. Based on what the Chief Imam of the Aba Central Mosque, Alhaji Bashir, said it might not be unconnected with  chemicals used by students of the school for their practical discovered by the soldiers who raided the mosque.
Alhaji Bashir  said after they were arrested on Monday, they were first taken to the Ngwa Road Forward Operation Base (FOB) before they were  transferred to the headquarters of  144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Asa where after interrogation, 13 of them were released.
The Chief Imam, who spoke to our correspondent shortly before going to honour the invitation by soldiers at the Ngwa High School base yesterday evening, appealed for the release of those who were still being detained as according to him, they do not possess any bomb.
The former Abia State Amir-Ulhajji and deputy chairman of the Muslim community in Aba, Alhaji Musa Iheakaram, while speaking to newsmen yesterday evening, frowned on the re-invitation of the Chief Imam of the central mosque by soldiers.
Iheakaram alleged that about 12 soldiers came to the central mosque in two Hilux vans after some discussions with the Chief Imam and re-invited him to their base at Ngwa High School.
Iheakaram said if there was any information the soldiers needed about the school, the two teachers still under their custody should be in a better position to furnish them with such information and not the chief Imam, whom he said, had no direct dealings with the school.

Search for bombs: 2 still in detention, released Imam invited by soldiers in Aba

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