CHIMPREPORTS
Uganda’s security services have arrested a man suspected of being the main courier of explosives used by the IS-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in a string of terror attacks in the central region.
It all started in 2007 with Twaha Ssegujja alias Joseph Kisembo traveling from Kanyamiyaga village, Nyamiti parish, Kagadi district to Kampala city.
Ssegujja, who is now 37-years-old, would later join the bodaboda industry.
After 11 years of operating as a boda boda rider in Kampala, Ssegujja was in 2018 allegedly recruited into the ADF ranks.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga did not explain how Ssegujja was recruited into the terrorist organisation, whose bases in North Kivu, Eastern DRC, were last week attacked by UPDF’s war jets and long-range artillery.
Nevertheless, Enanga said upon being recruited by ADF, Ssegujja agreed to travel to the Eastern DRC for military training.
“In furtherance of the ADF plans in Uganda, Ssegujja sneaked back into the country, with an AK47, and started carrying out tasks assigned to him by Meddie Nkalubo, aka Benjamin, aka Abubaker Saleh aka Isaac, who is suspected to be in South Africa or Zambia,” said enanga.
The terror suspect was disguising as a bodaboda rider and also had a shop at Nakuwadde village, that he was renting from a one Swaleh Abubaker.
It remains unclear how he was busted by security services.
However, on November 30, specialist armed counter terrorism units arrested Isma Kiyemba, a 24-year-old, suspected terrorist and member of the ADF terror cell in Lweeza, where they recovered an assortment of terror related exhibits.
It appears Kiyemba provided actionable intelligence to security services which eventually intercepted Ssegujja on December 2, 2021.
“A thorough search was conducted at the shop, where we found a hidden store, with an assortment of weapons and bomb making materials,” said Enanga.
Explosive materials
“The items recovered included; an AK 47 Riffle, that had no magazine, a silver grenade bomb concealed in a laptop bag, 9 pairs of green gumboots, 5 airtel lines and two Itel phones, 389 detonating roads, 3 suspected explosive boosters, 2 bags of ammonium nitrate, packed in sugar sacks and 7 tins of chemical fluids, among other,” he emphasised.
The personnel hunting down suspected terrorists are drawn from military intelligence, police counter terrorism squads, Internal Security Organisation and Special Forces Command (SFC) among others.
Enanga said the two sets of recoveries and arrests within the course of last week, have “definitely dealt a big blow to the ADF terror cells.”
He further said, Twaha Ssegujja, “was the main courier of the ADF networks and was actively involved in transporting the bomb making materials and other weapons amongst their operatives.”
At the time of arrest, Ssegujja had spent only 75 days in the area.
The development underscores the fragility of Uganda’s security.
“The public should know that the terror threats against Ugandans and other citizens in the country still exist,” said Enanga.
“ We believe if these dangerous weapons were not recovered and left in the hands of the terrorists, the results would be more devastating for our citizens and visitors. As the Joint Security Agencies, we continue with our operations aimed at preventing, deterring, stopping and dismantling the ADF infrastructure in the country; and any other deadly plots against Ugandans and other citizens in the country.”
source https://perilofafrica.com/2021/12/how-uganda-security-tracked-down-suspected-adf-courier-twaha-ssegujja.html
