The Borno State Police Command has detained four individuals in relation to a try to ignite the Mafa IDP camp in Mafa Local Government Area of the state.
The individuals taken into custody were Malum Usman, 16; Bulama Bukar, 14; and Rawa Usman, 11; along with their supposed backer, Babagana Umar, 40.
The PUNCH remembers that, troubled by the increasing occurrence of IDP camp fires in the state, the state government pledged to apprehend the individuals responsible for such actions and subject them to the law.
The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof Usman Tar, had, on Sunday, March 31, raised the warning over the issue in a statement, alleging a grand conspiracy involving some NGOs.
However, presenting the suspects in Maiduguri on Thursday, the state command’s spokesman, ASP Nahum Daso, did not mention any NGO funding the act.
“On the 24th March 2024 at approximately 10:30am, a group of hunters from Mafa reported to Mafa division of the police with 3 suspects Malum Usman 16yrs, Bulama Bukar 14yrs, Rawa Usman 11yrs all of Mafa IDP camp that suspects were arrested with matches while trying to set a house ablaze in the camp,” Daso explained.
“Preliminary investigation further revealed that the trio were sponsored by one Babagana Umar, a firewood seller at Muna garage area, Maiduguri, who hired them to carry out the act for N10,000. The case is under investigation,” he further revealed.
The alleged sponsor, Umar, denied financing the youngsters to commit the crime.
“I was arrested while saying my prayers in the Mosque,
“This is a mischief against me. I am yet to even imagine.
“When I was arrested, because I knew I have never imagined attempting to set the Mafa camp ablaze, I proposed to swear by the Holy Quran to prove my innocence; I was not allowed,” he said.
