4 dead as police, insurgents clash in Gombe, Kano

[Mirror]

An early morning attack on a police station in Bojude town, Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State yesterday has resulted in the death of a policeman and three of the attackers.

The Gombe State Police Public Relations Officer, Fwaje Atajiri, DSP, who confirmed the attack to National Mirror in a telephone interview, also alerted the public that some of the insurgents had escaped with bullet wounds into nearby bushes.

He said at about 2a.m. yesterday, the insurgents attacked the police station with heavy arms but that they were repelled, while a policeman and three of the attackers were killed during the gun battle.

Atajiri alerted villagers, health centres as well as the general public to beware of people coming to them with fresh wounds, some of which could be bullet wounds.

He said the police were already combing the bushes for the insurgents and called on the public not to panic as the Police Command was doing all it could to contain any attack on the state.

Bojude town is about 30 kilometres from the state capital, Gombe, on Kano road. In Kano State, operatives of the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, raided the hideout of the Boko Haram sect early yesterday and engaged them in a shootout, which sources revealed claimed two lives from both sides.

As at the time of filing this report, the JTF has remained mute on the incident, as attempts to get official response from the spokesman of the security outfit, Captain Ikedichi Iweha were rebuffed. Another account revealed that two soldiers and two Boko Haram sect members lost their lives in the encounter.

Several of the sect members were injured and others arrested. The fierce battle was said to have occurred at Gayawa area of Ungogo Local Government area in a suburb of Kano metropolis.

According to a source, the JTF operatives stormed the village after an explosion that hit parts of the area at the early hours of the day. He revealed that gunshots were heard particularly in Gayawa and its neighbourhood, which led to panic by residents.

The source, who did not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent that the heavy gunshots took sometime before fizzling out.

According to him, troops from the JTF swooped on the hideout of the suspected sect members, while the terrorists responded.

Our correspondent learnt that the raid was believed to be as a result of a tip off from residents, who suspected the activities of some occupants of the area.

It would be recalled that security agencies have always encouraged residents to report any suspicious movements in their neighborhood, for which they have adequately responded by tipping-off security operatives.

In a related development, the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN, yesterday in Jos, Plateau State decried the continued killing of its members in the North by the Boko Haram sect. COCIN President, Rev. Soja Bewarang, particularly lamented the rate at which members of the church were being killed in Borno and Yobe states.

"Our members are systematically identified and killed; my heart bleeds for our staff and members in Borno and Yobe states.

"Recently, retired Rev. Daniel Gula was almost killed by unknown gunmen in Borno. He is presently in Jos, recovering from injuries sustained in the cause of running for his dear life," he said. He called on the Federal Government to hasten the setting up of a committee to look into the plight of Christians in the North to ascertain the extent of damages to their lives and how they have suffered.

Bewarang, who spoke at the 83th General Church Council meeting of the church held at its headquarters, called on the Federal Government to find ways of ensuring that Christians who fled in the wake of the insurgents' attack return to their homes and build confidence among them.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, has lashed out at the critics of President Jonathan on the extension of the state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. Badeh spoke in Ilorin yesterday, while fielding questions from journalists shortly after inspecting the Nigerian Air Force Hanger at the Ilorin International Airport.

The COAS, who was received by the Commander, 203 Medium Airlift Group, MAG, Air Commodore Shafi Kudu, and other officers of the unit, declared that the state of emergency may continue for a longer period than expected.

He said: "The required level of stability needed in most parts of North-East, which called for extension of the state of emergency, had not been achieved. "Armed forces were created, basically to secure Nigerians and make sure that we have a stable civil government in place and to further ensure social wellbeing of every Nigerian.

"The state of emergency was declared on May 12 and it was supposed to be lifted by November 12, but we have not yet achieved the required level of stability we need in those areas of the North-East, which eventually called for extension of the state of emergency.

"So, I don't know why people are complaining about the extension, saying they have imposed hardship on them. Absolutely, they have lost nothing by the extension. People should stop deceiving Nigerians about the imposition of the state of emergency, because such a person can only lie to himself but not to Nigerians."

The Air Force boss berated Nigerian politicians for making inflammatory comments on the issue.

According to him, the state of emergency declaration has in no way had any negative effect on the concerned state governments. "Government has not stopped taking their funding neither has it stopped anything being done in those areas.

Rather, the action has only given us the latitude to arrest and detain without taking you to court within 48 hours and also to go and look for the perpetrators of the evil acts in the areas since they have waged war against the armed forces," he said.

[Glory Skales Charity]

May their souls rest in perfect peace. Sad incident i must say