INUSA NDAHI, EZEKIEL TITUS AND SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN
The Joint Task Force,JTF, operating in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, yesterday said it had killed a top commander of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Abdulkareem Ibrahim. He was on the wanted list of 19 terrorist commanders released by the authorities recently. This is coming j
ust
as gunmen killed at least 18 people in Borno and Bauchi states in
shooting and bombing sprees. In a statement made available to National
Mirror yesterday by the JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa Ibrahim, who
had a N10m bounty on his head, was killed along with two other
sub-commanders during a combined morning raid along Damboa-Biu road with
members of the Department of State Security and the Nigeria Police
Force Dog Section.
One security agent was killed and another injured during the operation, the statement said.
“During the operations and in the ensuring fire fight, Abdulkareem Ibrahim and two of his sub- Commanders were killed and an AK47 rifle with other arms and ammunition were recovered. Abdulkareem was a notorious terrorist commander who has been responsible for the recent spates of assassinations and bomb attacks in Maiduguri,” the JTF said.It said Ibrahim was one of the top “Amirs” (Commanders) recently declared wanted in the list released by the JTF to members of the public, adding that it “will continue to appreciate all information that will lead to more arrest of the sect commanders declared wanted as well as other information that will help in its conduct of operations to eliminate terrorist activities in the state.”
Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be members of the sect went on a killing spree in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday leaving at least 12 people dead.The highest death toll was recorded in Chibok Local Government Area of the state, where the gunmen killed three indigenes and seven expatriate construction workers in an invasion of Mbwa Ward.The incident occurred about 2p.m. after all church services had been concluded in the area.This is the second deadly encounter in Chibok by suspected terrorists without any arrest by the security agencies. Mbwa is just two kilometres away from Chibok council headquarters and over 40 kilometres away from Dambao Local Government, in the south of Borno, which has witnessed attacks and bombings in the last two weeks.
Gunmen also attacked the Divisional Police Station of Gambouru/Ngala, around 9 a.m. killing two police officers while residents fled into the bush for safety. Gamboru/Ngala Local Government Area is the home town of former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. This is coming five days after gunmen suspected to be terrorists laid ambush to neighbouring Kala Balge Council area where they killed five policemen, razed the police station, the caretaker council Chairman’s official residence, government lodge and some telecomm masts. Gambouru/Ngala is a border town with Chad Republic, 150 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital, and 20 kilometres away from Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge, which was attacked by the sect.
An eye witness and resident said that the gunmen numbering about 50 came in several cars and motorcycles and attacked the police station with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, and petrol-bombs, chanting; “God is great” in Arabic, before killing two policemen at their duty posts, 700 metres away from a military post. He said no civilian was killed, as most of the residents fled to nearby bush for safety, adding that “we had to run for our lives, because we don’t know who these gunmen were targeting, as they came in high number to attack us and the security personnel here in Gambouru/Ngala.” When contacted for confirmation, both the Police Commissioner’s phone number, Mr. Abdullahi Yuguda and his Public Relations Officer, Gideon Jubrin were not reachable.
Also in Bauchi State, at least six persons were feared dead and several others sustained different degrees of injuries when hundreds of youths and security operatives surrounded the gunmen believed to be the killers of some prominent people in Azare in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Though, security sources could not confirm the casualty figures recorded but a resident of the area confirmed that six persons were killed and several others injured. National Mirror gathered that victims who sustained injuries are already receiving medical attention at the Federal Medical center Azare. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen invaded the area to rob a sesame seed company and when residents saw the gunmen they summoned courage and resisted the attack.
The residents said after the killing of Majidadin Katagum religious and community leaders sensitised their followers to be courageous and arrest their attackers with arms and ammunition or whenever they heard a gunshot rather than running away for safety. A resident told our correspondent that a motorcycle rider caught one of the gunmen but as they were struggling two attackers shot the motorcycle rider to death. Another motorist was also shot and injured after he pursued a gunman and attempted to run him over with his car. According to the eyewitness, soldiers and other security operatives providing security in the troubled area arrived at the scene of the incident and shot dead two gunmen.
Another gunman ran into a house and then climbed a tree from where he engaged the security operatives in a gun battle which lasted for several hours before he was killed. The residents also said that two security personnel were killed during the exchange of fire with the gunmen while several others were injured but this could not be confirmed immediately. Two reliable security sources in Bauchi, who would not want their names disclosed, confirmed the incident and promised to give details after investigation. However, efforts to get confirmation from the State Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan failed as he did not pick calls neither did he reply the text messages sent to him.
The incident came barely two days after the assassination of a senior traditional title holder, the Maji dadin Katagum, Alhaji Ibrahim Arab. When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo, said that he did not officially have a statement on the robbery but heard about it when journalists started calling him for confirmation.
He directed our correspondent to the state Commissioner of Police.
About four days before the killing of the Maji Dadin Katagum, some gunmen were said to have killed two Yoruba residents in Azare, the headquarters of Azare Local Government. Three days after that, gunmen also attacked the residence of the Technical Engineer of Power Holding Company, PHCN, Misau office, Muhammad Dahiru Shehu, in Bauchi and stole his Toyota Sienna car and other valuables. Also yesterday, soldiers of the JTF uncovered a bomb-making factory in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital and a known base of the Islamist sect. The discovery of the factory, followed the security task force’s “cordon and search” operation conducted in the early hours at the Buhari Housing Estate, on Gashua- Maiduguri ring road.
Speaking on the discovery factory yesterday in Damaturu, the JTF spokesman, Lt. Lazarus Eli said that a decomposing body was also found buried within the factory premises, stating that it could be the body of a suspected terrorist that died from gunshot wounds in a recent gunfight with security agents. He said other items recovered from the factory include, bomb-making materials, ammunition, magazines, as well as military, police and immigration uniforms. He added that after a thorough search and combing of the premises, two rifles, medical supplies, tear gas canisters were also recovered from the building.
Eli appealed to residents to be vigilant about any activity going on within their neighbourhoods and report suspected persons to security agents for appropriate action to save people’s lives and property. The discovery of the bomb-making factory comes a week after the JTF recovered 5,207 rounds of ammunition and arms in Kandahar ward of Damaturu metropolis. However, President Goodluck Jonathan has insisted that Nigeria remains a safe country despite the series of attacks on security agencies and civilians in the North by terrorists and claimed that government had succeeded in foiling 70 per cent of planned attacks by Boko Haram before they occur.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement issued yesterday said the recent attacks on Army and Police facilities in Jaji and Abuja respectively were designed to create maximum fear in the citizenry in line with the character of insurgency worldwide He said media reports suggesting that “nowhere is safe in Nigeria” was incorrect and that “President Jonathan wishes to assure Nigerians that in spite of this situation, the country is still largely safe and secure.” According to the statement, “Government efforts and preparedness will be further enhanced to ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations within the country.”
The statement said government “has acquired and deployed highly sophisticated security equipment and members of the security agencies have received and continue to receive adequate training such that our intelligence gathering capacity have witnessed a monumental increase in capacity to gather information. This is why over 70 per cent of the activities of the Boko Haram and other sinister plans are aborted before they occur. But unfortunately, these are not made known to members of the public.” “The President wishes to assure Nigerians that government will not rest but continue to work tirelessly with all the security agencies in the country to bring to a complete end as soon as possible, cases of insecurity, while those found guilty to have perpetrated criminality and acts of terrorism either by promoting it actively or passively engaged in it, are made to face the full wrath of the law,” it added.
In a related development, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to come together in order to fight terrorism and other violent crimes in the country. Speaking during a courtesy visit on Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State, the Sultan said terrorism, robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities are not restricted to a particular religion or region of the country. On how best Nigerian people can fight the violent crimes that are presently overrunning the country, the Sultan said, “Some years back, we watched with amazement when we saw suicide bombers and car bombers. We thought we could not have such things in our country.
But we have them now. It is not a particular religion or ethnicity that specializes in such terrorist or criminal activities in the form of kidnapping or armed robbery. But I believe that we must all come together to resolve these issues in the best way possible for our country. The challenges that come our way (in the process) can ginger us to strengthen our resolve to meet them headlong, defeat them collectively in unity and forge a national cohesion.”
One security agent was killed and another injured during the operation, the statement said.
“During the operations and in the ensuring fire fight, Abdulkareem Ibrahim and two of his sub- Commanders were killed and an AK47 rifle with other arms and ammunition were recovered. Abdulkareem was a notorious terrorist commander who has been responsible for the recent spates of assassinations and bomb attacks in Maiduguri,” the JTF said.It said Ibrahim was one of the top “Amirs” (Commanders) recently declared wanted in the list released by the JTF to members of the public, adding that it “will continue to appreciate all information that will lead to more arrest of the sect commanders declared wanted as well as other information that will help in its conduct of operations to eliminate terrorist activities in the state.”
Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be members of the sect went on a killing spree in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday leaving at least 12 people dead.The highest death toll was recorded in Chibok Local Government Area of the state, where the gunmen killed three indigenes and seven expatriate construction workers in an invasion of Mbwa Ward.The incident occurred about 2p.m. after all church services had been concluded in the area.This is the second deadly encounter in Chibok by suspected terrorists without any arrest by the security agencies. Mbwa is just two kilometres away from Chibok council headquarters and over 40 kilometres away from Dambao Local Government, in the south of Borno, which has witnessed attacks and bombings in the last two weeks.
Gunmen also attacked the Divisional Police Station of Gambouru/Ngala, around 9 a.m. killing two police officers while residents fled into the bush for safety. Gamboru/Ngala Local Government Area is the home town of former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. This is coming five days after gunmen suspected to be terrorists laid ambush to neighbouring Kala Balge Council area where they killed five policemen, razed the police station, the caretaker council Chairman’s official residence, government lodge and some telecomm masts. Gambouru/Ngala is a border town with Chad Republic, 150 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital, and 20 kilometres away from Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge, which was attacked by the sect.
An eye witness and resident said that the gunmen numbering about 50 came in several cars and motorcycles and attacked the police station with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, and petrol-bombs, chanting; “God is great” in Arabic, before killing two policemen at their duty posts, 700 metres away from a military post. He said no civilian was killed, as most of the residents fled to nearby bush for safety, adding that “we had to run for our lives, because we don’t know who these gunmen were targeting, as they came in high number to attack us and the security personnel here in Gambouru/Ngala.” When contacted for confirmation, both the Police Commissioner’s phone number, Mr. Abdullahi Yuguda and his Public Relations Officer, Gideon Jubrin were not reachable.
Also in Bauchi State, at least six persons were feared dead and several others sustained different degrees of injuries when hundreds of youths and security operatives surrounded the gunmen believed to be the killers of some prominent people in Azare in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Though, security sources could not confirm the casualty figures recorded but a resident of the area confirmed that six persons were killed and several others injured. National Mirror gathered that victims who sustained injuries are already receiving medical attention at the Federal Medical center Azare. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen invaded the area to rob a sesame seed company and when residents saw the gunmen they summoned courage and resisted the attack.
The residents said after the killing of Majidadin Katagum religious and community leaders sensitised their followers to be courageous and arrest their attackers with arms and ammunition or whenever they heard a gunshot rather than running away for safety. A resident told our correspondent that a motorcycle rider caught one of the gunmen but as they were struggling two attackers shot the motorcycle rider to death. Another motorist was also shot and injured after he pursued a gunman and attempted to run him over with his car. According to the eyewitness, soldiers and other security operatives providing security in the troubled area arrived at the scene of the incident and shot dead two gunmen.
Another gunman ran into a house and then climbed a tree from where he engaged the security operatives in a gun battle which lasted for several hours before he was killed. The residents also said that two security personnel were killed during the exchange of fire with the gunmen while several others were injured but this could not be confirmed immediately. Two reliable security sources in Bauchi, who would not want their names disclosed, confirmed the incident and promised to give details after investigation. However, efforts to get confirmation from the State Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan failed as he did not pick calls neither did he reply the text messages sent to him.
The incident came barely two days after the assassination of a senior traditional title holder, the Maji dadin Katagum, Alhaji Ibrahim Arab. When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo, said that he did not officially have a statement on the robbery but heard about it when journalists started calling him for confirmation.
He directed our correspondent to the state Commissioner of Police.
About four days before the killing of the Maji Dadin Katagum, some gunmen were said to have killed two Yoruba residents in Azare, the headquarters of Azare Local Government. Three days after that, gunmen also attacked the residence of the Technical Engineer of Power Holding Company, PHCN, Misau office, Muhammad Dahiru Shehu, in Bauchi and stole his Toyota Sienna car and other valuables. Also yesterday, soldiers of the JTF uncovered a bomb-making factory in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital and a known base of the Islamist sect. The discovery of the factory, followed the security task force’s “cordon and search” operation conducted in the early hours at the Buhari Housing Estate, on Gashua- Maiduguri ring road.
Speaking on the discovery factory yesterday in Damaturu, the JTF spokesman, Lt. Lazarus Eli said that a decomposing body was also found buried within the factory premises, stating that it could be the body of a suspected terrorist that died from gunshot wounds in a recent gunfight with security agents. He said other items recovered from the factory include, bomb-making materials, ammunition, magazines, as well as military, police and immigration uniforms. He added that after a thorough search and combing of the premises, two rifles, medical supplies, tear gas canisters were also recovered from the building.
Eli appealed to residents to be vigilant about any activity going on within their neighbourhoods and report suspected persons to security agents for appropriate action to save people’s lives and property. The discovery of the bomb-making factory comes a week after the JTF recovered 5,207 rounds of ammunition and arms in Kandahar ward of Damaturu metropolis. However, President Goodluck Jonathan has insisted that Nigeria remains a safe country despite the series of attacks on security agencies and civilians in the North by terrorists and claimed that government had succeeded in foiling 70 per cent of planned attacks by Boko Haram before they occur.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement issued yesterday said the recent attacks on Army and Police facilities in Jaji and Abuja respectively were designed to create maximum fear in the citizenry in line with the character of insurgency worldwide He said media reports suggesting that “nowhere is safe in Nigeria” was incorrect and that “President Jonathan wishes to assure Nigerians that in spite of this situation, the country is still largely safe and secure.” According to the statement, “Government efforts and preparedness will be further enhanced to ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations within the country.”
The statement said government “has acquired and deployed highly sophisticated security equipment and members of the security agencies have received and continue to receive adequate training such that our intelligence gathering capacity have witnessed a monumental increase in capacity to gather information. This is why over 70 per cent of the activities of the Boko Haram and other sinister plans are aborted before they occur. But unfortunately, these are not made known to members of the public.” “The President wishes to assure Nigerians that government will not rest but continue to work tirelessly with all the security agencies in the country to bring to a complete end as soon as possible, cases of insecurity, while those found guilty to have perpetrated criminality and acts of terrorism either by promoting it actively or passively engaged in it, are made to face the full wrath of the law,” it added.
In a related development, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to come together in order to fight terrorism and other violent crimes in the country. Speaking during a courtesy visit on Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State, the Sultan said terrorism, robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities are not restricted to a particular religion or region of the country. On how best Nigerian people can fight the violent crimes that are presently overrunning the country, the Sultan said, “Some years back, we watched with amazement when we saw suicide bombers and car bombers. We thought we could not have such things in our country.
But we have them now. It is not a particular religion or ethnicity that specializes in such terrorist or criminal activities in the form of kidnapping or armed robbery. But I believe that we must all come together to resolve these issues in the best way possible for our country. The challenges that come our way (in the process) can ginger us to strengthen our resolve to meet them headlong, defeat them collectively in unity and forge a national cohesion.”
No comments:
Post a Comment