Details about the Department of State Services (DSS) operations that led to the arrest of 10 suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) members in Ilesa, Osun State, have emerged.
The raid occurred at an old bungalow near St. Mary Catholic Church in the Ifofin and Ogbon Idio areas of Ilesa-East Local Government Area, Osun State.
According to reports, the operation took place around 1 a.m. on December 16, 2024, involving about 30 DSS operatives.
News of the arrests surfaced publicly on January 10, 2025, when the DSS sought a Federal High Court order in Abuja to detain the suspects for 60 days. The suspects are identified as Adamu Abubakar (aka Abu Aisha), Babagana Bashuli, Muhammed Adam, Mustapha Abacha, Katuru Muhammed, Babakura Abacha, Muhammed Ciroma, Ali Gambo, Muhammed Umoru, and Muhammed Bundi.
The DSS disclosed that the suspects were arrested while being trained to manufacture and detonate explosives. Preliminary investigations revealed they are members of Boko Haram/ISWAP.
Sources confirmed to The PUNCH that the operation spanned 90 days, with two teams from the DSS headquarters conducting the surveillance.
The first team reportedly arrived in Ilesa in late September, while the second team followed in mid-November 2024.
An insider noted, “The Osun command was excluded from the operation due to concerns that the initial intelligence about ISWAP activities in Ilesa had been compromised.”
An undercover officer revealed that agents infiltrated the community in September 2024, blending in with locals to pinpoint the suspects’ exact location.
After confirming their findings, a tactical team conducted the operation without gunfire, preventing public attention. The suspects were found with ISWAP materials and bomb-making equipment.
Following the arrests, the DSS reassigned senior officers and transferred over 150 personnel from Osun to northern states, including Benue, Jigawa, and Bauchi. Intelligence reports indicated the suspects had been under surveillance since 2023, after an alleged plan to attack a church in Ilesa was uncovered.
It was also revealed that ISWAP members were involved in bank robberies in Iree and Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area, in 2021. Previous DSS operations in Osun State included arrests in Ile-Ife in 2022, involving suspected terrorists from Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Local residents expressed shock and concern about the arrests.
A community leader, Mohammed Borni, stated, “It’s been two months since their arrest, and we’ve had no contact with them. We never suspected them of criminal activities—they sold wristwatches and MP3 players.”
The incident has heightened security awareness in the area, with residents expressing fear about living alongside suspected terrorists.
One tailor, Bimpe Olaiwola, said, “We’ve lived peacefully with them, but this news has made everyone more cautious. I hope the authorities ensure our safety.”
