JTF arrests owner of Al-Amir restaurant - Daily Trust

Armed soldiers operating under the Joint Task Force
(JTF) on Thursday evening apprehended the owner of
Al-Amir restaurants chain, Alhaji Muktari, during a raid
at Gwammaja quarters in Kano metropolis.
JTF did not comment on the arrest, but Weekly Trust
gathered from security sources that the businessman
was being suspected of having links with the Boko
Haram sect, which has been carrying out attacks in
Kano and other parts of the north.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the operation
lasted about an hour, during which dozens of troops
cordoned off the area around the suspect's residence
and forced residents to remain indoors.
A neighbour, who does not want his name mentioned,
said the soldiers stormed the area in about a dozen
military trucks, accompanied by armored personnel
carriers.
The raid had begun shortly after Muslims broke their
Ramadan fast. The spokesperson of the mosque
committee near the residence of the arrested
businessman and former deputy chairman of Dala Local
Government, Sama'ila Imam, said the soldiers had shut
them inside the mosque, before returning an hour after
done with the raid.
"We were inside the mosque, preparing to break our
fast when the soldiers arrived and shut the door from
outside. After about an hour, they returned with the
man, who was obviously beaten up," he said.
Imam also said that five soldiers entered the mosque,
while 20 others waited outside.
"They entered the mosque with their boots on and went
row after row, asking each one of us to stand up for the
Alhaji to identify if any of us were his accomplice. They
would ask him, 'is he the one?' and he would answer
'no'," he said.
"We had to come out after today's Friday prayers to
clear the air about the incident and to condemn the
desecration of our mosque by the JTF personnel," said
the mosque official.
A security source confirmed the arrest, saying the
businessman was picked for interrogation based on his
suspected association with the Boko Haram group. Of
recent, he said, security agents have received reports
about people on motorcycles visiting his 'Yan Majalisa
Estate residence in the night, which prompted his
arrest.
Meanwhile, Weekly Trust could not reach any relation of
the businessman for comments, as his family members
were said to be located in another part of the state.
Also, all attempts to get the JTF spokesperson,
Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, to speak on the arrest failed
yesterday as he did not answer several calls to his
mobile phone. He equally did not reply a text message
sent to him on the issue up to the time of going to
press.

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