A 10-year-old girl, strapped with explosives, was among the three suspected members of the Boko Haram arrested by Nigerian security forces in Katsina, on Tuesday.
The suspects, who were arrested about 10.00 p.m on Zaria Road, Tudun Wada area of Funtua metropolis, were Iliya Dahiru (male), Zainab Musa, 18 and the 10-year-old Hadiza Musa.
Coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, made this known on Wednesday, while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
“The suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV. When they were directed to disembark for security checks, 10-year-old Hadiza was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt and immediately, Iliya and Zainab made attempt to escape with the car, but were later blocked by other concerned Nigerians and subsequently arrested,” Omeri said.
He, however, appealed to parents to monitor closely, activities of their children, to prevent them from any act of terrorism.
“It is on this note that we appeal to parents to consciously observe and watch their children’s activities, in order to prevent them from participating in unwholesome activities, particularly terrorism,” he said.
The coordinator also expressed appreciation at the level of consciousness of Nigerians on security issues and their contributions towards containing the acts of insurgents.
Also speaking, the Force Police Public Relation Officer, Frank Mba, said that the use of female suicide bombers was not new in the world, but new to Nigeria.
He said women raised fewer suspicion, especially where there is security layers, adding that the insurgents had taken advantage of this to recruit female bombers.
Mba, who said the Nigerian culture does not allow male security operatives to search women, revealed that the security agencies were developing counter-terrorism strategy, by increasing the number of female security personnel in the stop-and-check areas.