Nigeria: How Nyanya Blast Was Planned, Executed - DSS

Abuja-- Four weeks after the Nyanya bomb blast that claimed 74 lives and injured many others, the identities of the masterminds of the blast were made public by the Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday.

Parading the suspects at its headquarters in Abuja, DSS Deputy Director of Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, announced that the bombing was masterminded by one Rufai Abubakar Tsiga, described as a Boko Haram leader and assisted by one Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, an army deserter and son of a retired Nigerian Army officer.

Ogar, who was flanked by the Defence, military and police spokesmen during the briefing, said the two men, who were now at large, hatched and carried out the bombing of the busy transport terminal on April 14.

The DSS said it was Tisga and one Muhammadu Sani Ishaq, who moved the explosive-laden vehicle to Nyanya bus station on the night of April 13, while Tsiga personally drove the vehicle to the actual position in which he detonated the bomb the following morning.

Paradoxically, while Sani Ishaq, who took part in the bombing had been arrested, the duo of Tsiga and Ogwuche, described as the brain behind the bombing, have gone into hiding, forcing the security agency to declare him wanted.

Army deserter

Interestingly, Ogwuche, who hails from Orokam, Ogbadibo council of Benue State is a student of Arabic Language at the International University of Africa, Sudan, and the son of a retired army colonel, Agene.

The suspect, who was enlisted into the Nigerian Army as Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche with service number SVC 95/104, deserted the Nigerian Army in 2006.

Before he absconded from the army, Ogwuche served in the Intelligence Unit at Child Avenue, Arakan Barracks, Lagos, between 2001 and 2006, shortly after being posted to the Nigerian Defence Academy.

He was arrested by security operatives on suspected terrorist activity at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on November 12, 2011, shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom.

However, following intensive pressure from human rights groups, who alleged that his fundamental rights were being violated, Ogwuche was released to his father, Col Agene Ogwuche (rtd.).