Barely four days after deadly bombings in the city of Kano left scores of people dead, another suicide attack took place in the city yesterday. However, only the two suicide bombers themselves were killed in the attack that was targeted at a checkpoint, but was foiled by the Joint Task Force.
According to the State Police Commissioner, Musa Daura, the suicide bombers were blown up at Eastern bye-pass in Hotoro Quarters by explosives which they were allegedly transporting in a truck to an area of Kano Metropolis.
The explosives which targeted the JTF checkpoint were remote controlled and buried in the ground close to the checkpoint.
Mr Daura said one of the suspects who targeted the police checkpoint disguised as a water seller while the other one gave him cover on a motorcycle. However, on throwing the explosive, it hit the motorcycle rider and killed both of them on the spot.
The commissioner said no police officer was killed or injured in the attacks, adding that four other people were arrested while attempting to attack the police after the explosion.
Even before the incident, residents of Hotoro and Sharada quarters had been woken up by multiple explosions, although it was not immediately clear what led to the explosions.
However, the police arrested four Nigeriens in connection with the explosions.
On Friday night, gun men had killed a shop owner, identified as Matthew Owoniyi, who was shot dead inside his chemist in the presence of his wife and two kids .They shot him thrice in the head.
The gunmen allegedly made away with Owoniyi’s sale proceeds for the day and his Golf car.
Meanwhile, the town of Ganye in Adamawa State came under attack on Friday when gunmen attacked a bank, a police station, some relaxation joints and hotels and a prison facility where some inmates were freed.
About 25 people were said to have been killed, including a former commissioner of old Gongola State.
The attacks, which caught the town by surprise, were said to have begun after the last Muslim prayers of the day, Isha’I, during which they were said to have marched through town unchallenged, chanting “Allah is great”.
According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen first attacked the divisional police station in the town which they set ablaze before they proceeded to the prisons facility where the building was also set on fire and the inmates freed.
At the bank, the assailants were reported to have used dynamites to pull down parts of the building before gaining entrance into the banking hall and the strong room. There is still no confirmation on the amount stolen from the bank, although it is speculated to run into millions of naira.
The gunmen also ransacked almost every hotel and relaxation joint in the town, setting them ablaze as revellers ran helter-skelter. It was at these joints that the most casualties were recorded as the gunmen opened fire sporadically on the patrons of these joints and their owners.
The command’s public relations officer, PPRO Mohammed Ibrahim (SP), said military and police personnel had been dispatched to the area. Also, the Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Adamawa State, Mr. Andrew Barka, confirmed the ransacking of Ganye Prisons, but failed to give further details. Ganye local government council shares a border with the Republic of Cameroon.
In an attack in Maiduguri, gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, attacked the Kaleri
ward residence of a businessman, Alhaji Umar Ali Adam Kolo, and shot dead his chief security officer at about 1.45pm yesterday.
Kaleri ward of the metropolis is considered to be one of the eight black spot areas of Boko Haram in the Borno State capital.
According to an eyewitness, the chief security officer was trailed to his duty post at the compound on a tricycle immediately after the afternoon mosque prayers, and shot in the head and chest. He slumped and died on the spot.
The eye witness said the suspects came through the Shehuri North areas, before riding into the Kaleri ward on a tricycle, chanting: “God is great! God is great!,” in Arabic language, before they shot and killed the security guard.
A resident said the security guard was early this year issued a threat letter to vacate his duty
post of protecting his boss.
The JTF spokesman in Borno State, Leuitenant Colonel Sagir Musa, and the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jubrin, could not be reached as their phones were all switched off at the time of going to press.
Leave a Reply