A man arrested over the deadly mosque attack in Maiduguri, Borno State, has claimed he was paid about N100,000 to carry out the operation.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ibrahim Mohammed, identified as a suspected Boko Haram member, made the disclosure after his arrest by security forces.
The attack occurred on Christmas Eve at a mosque located in Gamboru market, where a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device. The explosion killed five worshippers and left at least 32 others injured, according to security reports.
Mohammed, who is one of two suspects linked to the incident, told investigators that he acted on instructions from his leaders, whom he named as Adamu and Abubakar.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency platform, the suspect said the operation was planned by Boko Haram commanders operating between Adamawa State and the Mandara Mountains.
Giving details of how the attack was carried out, Mohammed said, “We came after Zuhur and Asr prayers when the mosque was empty. We entered pretending to pray. My colleague was digging to plant the IED in the middle of the mosque while I was digging by the side.”
He also claimed that after the explosion, he returned to the scene pretending to be a rescuer. Mohammed said, “When I returned to the mosque, they were evacuating dead bodies. I helped them convey the corpses and injured people in emergency vehicles.”
The suspect further disclosed that he later moved to Yobe State for additional tasks assigned by the group. He said he was regularly paid between N70,000 and N100,000 for each mission.
He said, “After the mission, I proceeded to Yobe for another assignment, to carry out recce on military positions and hunters’ groups for possible attacks on new recruits. I was paid money ranging from N70,000 to N100,000 per mission.”
Mohammed claimed he belonged to a wider terror network made up of factions of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, Ansaru, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which he said were responsible for several attacks across the North-East.
Security sources said the suspect was arrested on Monday in Damaturu, Yobe State, by local hunters working with Operation Hadin Kai during a raid on a suspected hideout. His presence among a group of Almajiri reportedly raised suspicion, leading to his arrest and questioning.
During interrogation, Mohammed also revealed that there were plans to attack the newly built Izala Mosque near Tashan Joni, but said the plan failed due to increased security presence in the area.
