The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Cross River has arrested a 31-year-old woman, Aniebet John, with three suspected Improvised Explosive Devices.
Commandant of NSCDC in the state, Mr. Samuel Fadeyi, who paraded the suspect at the command’s headquarters on Tuesday, June 27, in Calabar, said she was arrested on June 25.
Fadeyi said that the suspect was arrested with the three explosives including three connecting components.
According to him, the suspect was arrested in the Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state while trying to waybill the explosives to an unidentified source in Obubra LGA of the state.
“The lady was trying to send the device she had sealed in a nylon bag to Obubra LGA. We all know in Cross River as of now that Obubra LGA is exclusive because of the conflict between the Nko community in Yakurr LGA and Onyadama in Obubra local government,” the commandant said.
“Sending explosives through public transport is illegal, hence we had the course to intercept this lady who said she was sent by somebody to send it to another person. We are on the trail of the other suspects who are also involved in it but now at large,”
The Commandant said that investigation carried out revealed that the husband of the suspect is a blast master who works in a construction company.
He further said that the command would transfer the matter to the Department of State Service for further investigation.
He advised residents in the state to be vigilant about their safety and to report any suspected persons or groups of persons around them to security agencies.
The suspect claimed that her husband gave her the suspected devices to waybill to someone in Obubra local government.
She explained that she had no further knowledge of the device aside from what the husband used it for at the construction company where he works.