Kaduna — The family of one Garba Ilyasu, who is currently being detained at the One Division of the Nigerian Army Kaduna, for being suspected as a terrorist, yesterday pleaded with General Officer Commanding 1 Division Major General Garba Wahab to release him as the man is just a former employee of the Kaduna State University (KASU) and not a terrorist.

Uncle of the suspect Salah Musa alleged that Garba has been in the army custody for over three months now and the army had not told the family why he is being held.

Narrating the incident to Daily Trust in Kaduna, Salah said Garba on his way back from work around 8pm stopped to collect chicken feeds at a shop near an army post when suspected terrorists raided the place killing a soldier.

"Garba got caught up in the commotion and abandoned his motorcycle to save his dear life only for him to come back the next day to recover his motorcycle and he was arrested by the soldiers guarding the place.

"He was at the time of his arrest a clerk at the Kaduna State University (KASU), but the management of the school sent in his termination letter after he did not show up for work for over two months," Saleh decried.

He urged the army authorities to look into the plight of his nephew and release him unconditionally because he had no hand in whatever they were accusing him of.

When contacted, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Division, Colonel Sani Usman confirmed his arrest, saying "on the 13th of April, 2012 a group of suspected terrorists attacked our post in Rigasa killing one of our men leaving behind a motorcycle.

When the said owner of the motorcycle came back to claim ownership, we laid ambush and quickly arrested him under suspicion of being a member of the said terrorist group".