Sunday, May 19, 2013
From Madu Onuora (Abuja), Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri)

Insurgents Near Emir Of Daura's Palace


LESS than 24 hours after its camps were bombarded by the military, the Boko Haram Islamic sect Saturday staged a desperate, but weak, fight-back, detonating a bomb that killed two Maiduguri residents and injured two others.


Also, the Joint Task Force (JTF), Saturday, imposed a 24-hour curfew on 12 wards and other areas of the metropolis with immediate effect.


Areas affected include North, Northeast and Southeast flanks of Maiduguri metropolis, including three Housing Estates on Bama and Gambouru/Ngala roads.


JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, announced the indefinite curfew.


In Katsina State, where the insurgents raided three police stations, banks and a prison in Daura, the home town of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) chieftain and Former Military Head of State, Gen, Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), security operatives combed houses near the Emir's palace in search of wounded insurgents.


This came on the heels of Saturday's announcement by the Nigerian troops that they had arrested 65 Boko Haram terrorists attempting to infiltrate Maiduguri, while fleeing from various camps now under attack by Special Forces.


The troops also combated another batch of suspected Boko Haram insurgents and in ensuing crossfire, a total of 10 insurgents were killed while weapons, including Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, assorted ammunition and rifle magazines were recovered.


Eleven vehicles, four tricycles and 24 handsets found with the infiltrating terrorists have been confiscated in Maiduguri.


Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Chris Olukolade also announced that government troops have occupied the camps and bases abandoned by the insurgents.


Following the attack on Daura, armed soldiers intensified search in several houses close to the Emir"s Palace, where those who sustained bullet wounds were said to have taken refuge.


Sources told journalists that armed soldiers were seen combing the community where the gunmen engaged soldiers in gun battle. The troops carried out house-to-house search within the vicinity of the Emir's Palace to fish out fleeing but wounded criminals.


Addressing journalists yesterday, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, said that the incident in Daura was the handiwork of armed robbers, who invaded police stations and banks.


He added that some of the criminals have been arrested face the full weight of the law.


The Police Chief confirmed that two soldiers and two policemen died after the gun battle.


Sources told The Guardian that the Commanding Officer of the 31st Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Colonel Ayodele, who led troops in the shoot out had a surgery, yesterday, at the Federal Medical Centre, where two bullets were removed from his body. He is said to be recuperating at the hospital.


Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) One Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Kaduna, Major General Garba Ayodeji Wahab, who also addressed journalists on the Daura battle, said the Military would not watch criminals unleash terror on Nigerians, stressing "80 percent of those insurgents are not Nigerians."


He said the criminals adopted the tactics of invading police stations, banks and other public places to divert attention.


"The criminals, while attacking police stations, and banks always want Nigerians to believe their actions stop at that, diverting attention and killing the ordinary citizens. As far as we are concerned, they have declared war against the state and we shall not fold our arms; we must ensure law and order in Nigeria".


Residents of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno State were, yesterday, jolted by a bomb blast, which went off at the Kasuwan Shanu areas at about 6.45am, killing two persons, and injuring two others.


According to a witness, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted in a roadside gutter, at the expiration of the 9pm-6am curfew in


the Kasuwan Shanu areas; and it exploded while some traders and butchers were going to their shops and abattoirs for the distribution of the day's meat for sale.


At about 8am, the Major Ibrahim Kashim Way and all other roads leading to the affected areas of Gambouru ward of Kasuwan Shanu were cordoned off by men of the JTF to prevent further attacks and killings.


Motorists and pedestrians in Gambouru, Lawan Bukar and Customs wards of the metropolis were also asked to "go back" to their respective homes, as the affected roads remained unsafe.