Interpol hands over Nigeria bombing mastermind

Abuja, July 15 (IANS) Nigeria's defence headquarters Tuesday said Interpol had handed over the alleged mastermind of a bus station bombing which claimed at least 80 lives here in April.

The suspect, Aminu Ogwuche, was accused of fleeing Nigeria after the incident at Nyanya, on outskirts of the Nigerian capital in April 14, Xinhua reported.

He was sighted three weeks later in Sudan and was arrested by the Interpol which promised to facilitate his extradition.

Ogwuche was received by the Nigerian military at the international airport in Abuja, according to an announcement made on the Twitter account of the Nigerian defence headquarters Tuesday,

"He was immediately taken into custody," Mike Omeri, director of Nigeria's National Information Centre, said.

Two months ago, Omeri had told journalists that the West African country was awaiting Ogwuche's extradition after being arrested by the INTERPOL in Sudan.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the April 14 attack, saying it was in line with its fight to enshrine the Islamic Sharia law in the constitution of Africa's most populous country.