by Isi Esene

The statement made a few months ago by President Goodluck Jonathan that members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, had infiltrated many organs of the government rings true as the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) confirms the arrest of a number of officials who allegedly have affiliations with the dreaded Islamic militant group.

According to the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, “a number of officials [had been arrested] for carrying out attacks for an Islamist militant group”.

The JTF had earlier arrested an immigration official, Grammah Mohammed, who confessed to being an active member of the Boko Haram sect. The official’s confession reportedly led to the arrest of more security officials who are alleged to be connected with the terrorist group.

Sagir Musa said, “He confessed to being an active member of the Boko Haram terrorist sect.

“He also confessed to having been trained alongside 15 other members of the sect on weapon handling, assassination and special operations in Niger,” he added.

Boko Haram shot to prominence in 2009 when hundreds of their members attempted to storm police stations and government buildings in Maiduguri.

In January this year, President Jonathan had said some members of the terrorist organisation are “in the armed forces, the police and other security agencies. Some continue to dip their hands and eat with you and you won’t even know the person who will point a gun at you or plant a bomb behind your house.”