A top member of the murderous Boko Haram sect, who has been on the wanted list of the Nigeria Army has been arrested in Isua, Akoko South-East Local Government of Ondo State.
Idris Ibrahim Babawo was arrested by vigilante group and handed over to the Police.
The Police spokesperson in the state, Femi Joseph confirmed the arrest of Babawo, adding that he has been handed over to the military.
Joseph explained that Babawo was coming from Bornu State and heading towards Ibafo in Ogun State when the vehicle conveying him developed fault at Isua.
The police spokesman said the driver told his passengers to wait in the vehicle while he got a mechanic to repair the vehicle.
According to him, it was when the suspect was wandering that a vigilante group arrested him and handed him to the police.
Joseph said the police decided to hand him over to the military for further interrogation.
The Spokesperson of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Capt Ojo Adenegan said the suspect was number 155 on the list of top Boko Haram members declared wanted by the military.
The military authorities had earlier announced that a high-value target in the Boko Haram has been captured by the police in the Ondo State.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka, made the announcement in a statement in Maiduguri
According to him, Idris Ibrahim Babawo, a top Boko Haram commander, is identified as number 156 in the Boko Haram wanted list.
Babawo, 42, who also goes by the name Idoko or Nagada, was captured while trying to evade arrest.
Kukasheka said that the jihadist had since been handed over to the military.
He said: “The Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Police on September 24 at about 2: 00 pm, arrested a wanted Boko Haram terrorist, Idris Ibrahim Babawo, believed to be number 156 on the wanted Boko Haram terrorists list.
“He was handed over to the 32 Brigade, 2 Division, Nigerian Army at about 2:00 pm on September 25 by the Ondo State Police Command.”
Kukasheka said that preliminary investigations showed that the terrorist hailed from Chinade village in the Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
He said that Babawo escaped from the North-east because of what he described as sustained military onslaught on the jihadists.