Nigeria nabs mastermind of UN building bomb attack

The Nigerian government has confirmed the arrest of a suspected Boko Haram commander responsible for the Aug. 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, the country's capital city.

Spokesperson for the Department of State Security (DSS) Tony Opuiyo said in a statement reaching Xinhua on Sunday that Mohammed Usman, who is also known as Khalid Al-Barnawi, was apprehended in Lokoja, Kogi State, while hiding under a false cover.

His arrest is a major milestone against terrorism, Opuiyo said, adding that Al-Barnawi used to move around under various aliases such as Kafuri, Naziru, Yahaya, Mallam Dauda and Tanimu.

According to him, Al-Barnawi is a trained terrorist commander, who has been coordinating terrorist activities in Nigeria, while talent-spotting and recruiting vulnerable young and able Nigerians for terrorist training by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in North African States and the Middle-East.

The secret police spokesperson said the suspect was involved in many terrorist attacks in states of the federation that resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent citizens of this country.

Al-Barnawi was responsible for the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, the kidnapping of two European civil engineers in Kebbi State in May, 2011, and their subsequent murder in Sokoto State; the kidnap of a German engineer, Edgar Raupach in January, 2012, the kidnap and murder of seven expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company at Jama'are, in Bauchi State in February, 2013, the attack of Nigerian troops at Okene in Kogi State, while on transit to Abuja for an official assignment.

He would soon be charged to court to face his charges after investigation is completed, Opuiyo said. Endit