An alleged plot by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, to invade Lagos in vehicles painted with military colours has been uncovered by security operatives.

Reporting on the incident this morning, The Guardian said it learnt at the weekend from military authorities that the group planned to attack Lagos with weapons in vehicles used by senior military officers painted with the colours of the Army, Navy or Air Force.

This intelligence, according to the paper, has made military authorities to order soldiers and naval ratings to thoroughly search vehicles painted with military colours, including those belonging to generals.

It quoted a source as saying: “No officer’s car painted with military colours is left out in this regard.”

The Guardian recalled that some months ago, a terrorist group allegedly conveyed weapons to Lagos inside some of the numerous fuel tankers that ply major roads to the country’s former capital and indeed the nation’s commercial nerve centre.

“It was learnt then that indeed the federal and Lagos authorities were quite startled that the masterminds of the planned terror act could pile up weapons of mass destruction in the state, generally considered the safest haven for investment at the moment in the country,” the paper reported.

It said that the state authorities, including Governor Fashola, were shown the illegal arms that the security and intelligence community’s inter-agency co-operation confiscated. The paper quoted a top source as having disclosed: “They were shocked, really shocked when they were shown the level of organisational capacity of the evil ones that planned to attack Lagos…”

According to the report, “A two-week raid carried out some months ago by a Joint Task Force led by operatives of the Nigerian Army and State Security Service (SSS) saved residents in Lagos and Ogun states from possible attacks by the terrorists.

“The joint raid had led to the arrest of 42 members of the dreaded Boko Haram who were dislodged from the North-East by military purge carried out under emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states and had migrated to Lagos and Ogun states to regroup and plant terrorist cells.

“The suspects were rounded up through intelligence information by one of the supposed Boko Haram members stationed in Lagos, who unknown to the suspects, was actually planted and had their telephone numbers tracked by the military operatives.

“Based on intelligence reports, the suspects were ‘smoked’ out from Ibafo and Ileke new trailer garage in Ogun State, Mafoluku, Alaba, Ijora-Badia, Aviation Quarters in Mafoluku-Oshodi, Ketu and Mile Two motor parks, Orile trailer park, Lekki new extension and Bar Beach in Victoria Island.

“The JTF had a few months ago uncovered and dismantled the plot by the alleged terrorists to plant cells in the western part of the country with Lagos as the headquarters.

“Security operatives that briefed the National Assembly leaders last year about the reality of the planned invasion of Lagos reportedly told the federal legislators that indeed the attackers had planned to cripple the economy.”

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