Gunmen destroy LG secretariat, kill 4 in Borno

[DT]

Three police officers and 5-year-old boy were shot dead on Tuesday in a coordinated attack on a police station and destroyed the secretariat of Konduga Local Government Area in Borno State, residents said.

However, spokesman of the police in the state, ASP Samuel Tizhe, said no policemen died, adding that they only sustained gunshot injuries. "Three policemen were shot dead while a five year old boy was killed by a stray bullet before the assailants burnt down a police station," a source said.

Residents said some gunmen in large number attacked the Divisional Police Office in Konduga, burnt two churches and the local government secretariat in the operation that lasted for more than three hours.

Our correspondents, who visited Konduga yesterday, gathered that shortly after the Magrib (Sunset prayers), the assailants stormed the local government secretariat and shot sporadically into the air, a development which caused panic.

"The gunmen were more than 20 in number and gunshots rented the air between  7pm and 10pm," Bana Kolo, a trader at the Konduga motor park said.

Daily Trust learnt that many offices with vital documents and computers were destroyed in the secretariat which was commissioned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2001.

About six vehicles, including a jeep were also burnt in the secretariat Also, the divisional office of the Civil Defence, located within the precinct of the secretariat complex, was also burnt down completely.

A security man at the secretariat, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "The gunmen came with six Golf cars and Hilux vehicle with serine."

Sources said when the gunmen stormed the Divisional Police Station in the area; the policemen on duty took to their heels. Residents said the gunmen then moved to a two churches and set them ablaze.

DailyTrust