REVEALED: I was paid N100k to bomb Muslim worshippers inside Maiduguri mosque- Suspect confesses
A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber, Ibrahim Mohammed, arrested by troops of Operation Hadin Kai in collaboration with local hunters in Yobe State, has confessed to receiving between N70,000 and N100,000 for carrying out suicide bombing operations targeting worshippers in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The suspect admitted his involvement in the December 24 suicide bombing at the Gamboru Market Mosque, which claimed five lives and left at least 32 worshippers injured, throwing Maiduguri into panic during the festive period.
During interrogation, Ibrahim said the attack was planned and executed on the orders of Boko Haram commanders operating between Adamawa State and the Mandara Mountains. He identified the commanders as Adamu and Abubakar, who allegedly supplied the explosives and directed the operation.
“My name is Ibrahim from Michika in Adamawa State. We were sent to Maiduguri to plant bombs at an Izala mosque. Our leaders gave us two IEDs and instructed us on how to carry out the mission,” he said.
Narrating how the attack was carried out, the suspect explained that the operatives exploited moments when mosques were largely empty.
“We came after the Zuhur and Asr prayers when there were few people around. We pretended to pray. My colleague dug a spot in the middle of the mosque while I was digging by the side to plant the device,” he stated.
According to him, the explosives were coupled and timed ahead of the Maghrib prayers.
“As worshippers gathered for Maghrib prayers, after the first raka’at, the bomb detonated. It was set to explode after five minutes. I ran towards the market area immediately,” he said.
In a disturbing revelation, Ibrahim confessed that he returned to the scene after the blast and posed as a civilian to assist victims.
“When I came back, bodies were being evacuated. I helped in carrying the dead and injured into emergency vehicles,” he added.
The suspect disclosed that suicide bombing had become a paid operation within the terror group, saying, “I was paid between N70,000 and N100,000 for each mission.”
However, he claimed to have regretted his actions after witnessing the scale of civilian casualties. “I regret killing innocent people who did nothing wrong,” he said.
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Security sources revealed that Ibrahim was part of a wider terror cell deployed to carry out coordinated attacks across the North-East by elements of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Ansaru and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The group allegedly planned multiple suicide bombings and IED attacks across the region.
It was gathered that a Boko Haram unit led by a notorious IED expert, Munzir Abu Ziyadah, prepared up to 10 person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs) at the Ali Ngulde camp axis for the operations.
After the Gamboru Market attack, Ibrahim reportedly moved to Yobe State to conduct reconnaissance for further attacks.
“After the mission, I went to Yobe to observe military locations and hunters’ groups for possible attacks on new recruits,” he said, adding that other suicide bombers had already been deployed to Damaturu to target mosques and markets.
At about 2:30 p.m. on December 29, Ibrahim was arrested in Damaturu by local hunters working with Operation Hadin Kai during a raid on a suspected hideout occupied by Almajirai. His suspicious behaviour reportedly drew attention, leading to his arrest and interrogation.
During questioning, he confessed to being a member of the Boko Haram JAS faction from the Mandara Mountains and admitted entering Maiduguri alongside the bomber who detonated the device at the Gamboru Market Mosque.
He further disclosed that while his accomplice carried out the Gamboru attack, he was assigned to bomb the new Izala Mosque near Tashan Joni in Maiduguri.
“I dropped my suicide vest near the Izala Mosque because I could not gain access due to tight security checks,” he said.
Following the confession, troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, were immediately deployed to the area identified by the suspect. Although no explosive device has been recovered, security sources warned that the bag might have been picked up by an unsuspecting individual.
Intelligence reports indicated that Izala mosques were deliberately chosen as targets by the terror cell. Consequently, security forces across the North-East have been placed on heightened alert, with increased surveillance and protection around places of worship, markets and other soft targets.
Security experts said the confession has provided critical insight into Boko Haram’s recruitment methods, funding of suicide missions and the evolving threat of coordinated attacks, underscoring the need for sustained intelligence-led operations and community vigilance across the region.
By PRNigeria
