Indian security agencies have arrested two Nigerian youths suspected to be on their way to Iraq to join the terrorist organisation, Islamic State.
They were arrested along the India-Pakistan border after scaling a barbed wire fence near the international border, where they were handed over to Punjab Police.
They were identified as Imran Kabeer and Sani Jamiliu.
According to the Indo-Asian News Services, the two Nigerians, aged between 24 and 25, from Kano State, told Indian officials that they wanted to go to Pakistan and later to Iraq. The youths, the report said, did not possess valid travel documents to enter Pakistan.
They were said to have arrived in Sikh on Thursday from Delhi in a hired taxi. The IANS noted that the duo argued with the taxi driver on Thursday night, “hoodwinked him and drove away his Swift Dzire car and arrived at the integrated check point at Attari on Friday morning.”
An Indian official was quoted as saying, “On finding the border gates closed, the youths moved towards a barbed wire fence along the Attari-Wagah rail track (on which the Samjhauta Express peace train between both countries plies) and jumped over the high barbed wire fence, thinking they had entered Pakistan. BSF personnel immediately nabbed them.”
Since the youths claimed their final destination was Iraq, security officials said they could be headed to join the Islamic State terror outfit.
An Indian Deputy Inspector-General, M.F. Farooqui, confirmed the arrest of both Nigerians. Agency report
