Hezbollah cell: Northern politicians under security watch

Prominent northern politicians who have links with one of the Hezbollah terror cell suspects, have been placed under security watch, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt on Friday.

It was gathered that the suspect,  Fadallah, a Lebanese, had bankrolled many northern politicians.

A security source, who spoke to our correspondent, said, “Fadallah has lived most of his life in Kano and he is a well known person there. He has also been linked to prominent northern politicians, who the security agencies are now monitoring.”

Besides, there are strong indications that the Federal Government may demolish the house and business premises owned by another Lebanese suspect, Mustapha Fawaz, who was arrested in Kano last week.

“The bungalow in Kano and Amigo Supermarket will be taken over by the Federal Government and demolished. That is one of the recommendations of security agencies,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, added.

Fawaz, a co-owner of Amigo Supermarket, was one of the Lebanese arrested in Kano over the cache of arms discovered in a bunker, in a bungalow on Gaya Road, Bompai.

Last week, security agents said additional arms and ammunition, which were hidden in a master bedroom bunker, were found in the building.

The State Security Service has reportedly concluded investigations into the case and submitted an interim report of its findings to the Presidency.

It was learnt that it recommended that the business interest of one of the suspects, Wonderland Amusement Park, Abuja, should be taken over by the Federal Government.

Investigations, however, showed that the Presidency had yet to endorse the recommendation.

Our correspondent gathered that the demolition of the supermarket and the building was suggested to the government by security agencies rather than confiscation because of fears that another regime might restore them to their owners.

The SSS Spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, could not be reached for comment as calls made to her phone did not get through.

Meanwhile, an Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Karu, has ordered that four terror suspects namely Fawaz, Talal Roda, Tahini and Hussain  Kossdi, be remanded in prison custody.

Security agencies had on May 30 linked the armoury, which they discovered in a Kano bungalow, to Hezbollah, a Lebanesse terror group.

The SSS had said the arms were intended for use against “Israeli and Western interests.”

“This is the handwork of Hezbollah,” Bassey Ettang, director of the State Security Service in Kano, had said.

“You can also be sure that if a group like this is existing, then it may even lend support to some of the local terrorists we have on the ground,” he added.