Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect on Monday night attacked the Divisional Police Station and Mainstreet Bank branch in Gwoza, Borno State, killing the Divisional Police Officer, Abubakar Digire Ahamdu; his deputy and eight civilians caught up in the crossfire.
The incident, which happened at 9p.m., came barely 17 hours after the assassination of Mobile Police Training Camp, MPTC, Commandant, Mr. Umaru Ali Jenga, and a traditional ruler. Gwoza is a border town with Cameroon and 135 kilometres south-east of Maiduguri, the state capital and an epicentre of Boko Haram’s activities.
Residents, who did not want their names mentioned for security reasons, told our correspondent that the attackers used improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs in torching the police station and the bank before carting away an undisclosed amount of cash.
The Mainstreet Bank branch is about 750 metres from the police station. One of the residents said: “We were about going to bed when we started hearing multiple explosions and gunshots at the divisional police station on Market Road.
“The dogs were barking, while the few people remaining at the main junction of Maiduguri-Mubi road started to run for safety as the attackers and the policemen at the station engaged in a gun battle for over two hours.
“Twenty minutes after, I heard another two bomb explosions on the Mainstreet Bank premises followed with sporadic gunshots that lasted for another 30 minutes.
“We hurriedly shut our doors for fears that the gunmen could burst into our houses as we did not know who could be the next targets.”
A source at the General Hospital, Gwoza, told newsmen that the bodies of the DPO and seven others were brought in by the police in two Hilux patrol vehicles.
He added that the gunmen gained entry into the bank after the manager was dragged from his home at gunpoint to open the bank before carting away an undisclosed amount and setting the building on fire with explosives about 10:25p.m.
Another resident said that their children and wives could not sleep as the gunshots continued into the early hours of yesterday. “The whole area covering Gwoza Wakane and the residential north flank of Market Road were inundated with deafening sporadic gunshots that lasted for over four hours.
“This is the first time we are having this type of multiple attacks of Boko Haram in Gwoza,” he added. The Borno State Police Command spokesman, Gideon Jibrin, yesterday confirmed the incident, but added that no arrests had been made. He, however, said that investigations had commenced to unravel the perpetrators of the attacks.
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to grant “unconditional” amnesty to members of Islamic sect group to encourage them to lay down their weapons.
The Sultan, who is also the President-General of Ja’amatu Nasril Islam, JNI, said the amnesty would end the insurgency, stressing that government should also accept those who denounced terrorism. Abubakar made the declaration at the opening of the JNI annual central council meeting in Kaduna.
He described the recent Wukari crisis in Taraba State as madness, saying that Muslims were the major victims. “We want to use this opportunity to call on the government, especially Mr. President, to see how he can declare total amnesty to all combatants (Boko Haram) without thinking twice.
That will make any other person who picks up arms to be termed a criminal. “If amnesty is declared, it will give so many of those young men who have been running and hiding to embrace that amnesty. Some of them have already come out because we have read in the papers that some have already come out.
“Even if it is only one person that denounces terrorism, it is the duty of the government to accept that person and see how he can be used to reach others. It is left for the government to use that person, evaluate him and see whether he is genuine or fake.
“These are some of the things we are pushing for, yet people are saying that we are not doing anything as Muslim leaders in the North.
“No! We are doing much more than what any other person has done. And I want to commend you all. We will continue to do more despite the criticisms.
“My brothers and sisters, what happened in Wukari a few days ago is total madness beyond comprehension. Because if you follow the news, how can an issue between the youths playing football turn into what happened in Wukari where the major victims have been Muslims?” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu Pate, who was invited to enlighten the gathering on the polio controversy, regretted that in the entire world, only Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan still had incidents of wild polio.
He noted that 98 per cent of children affected by the disease had Muslim names and described the false claims going on about the wild polio virus in Nigeria as unfortunate.
Pate said: “The opposition to it led to the unfortunate deaths of nine innocent female health workers in Kano. That should not happen because immunisation of children is in the best interest of the children and our society. By 2007, Niger, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan were the only countries in the world that have polio cases.
“Today, India and Niger have been off that list. Go to our streets today in the North, you will see how polio has crippled our children, turning them to disabled and beggars.”
The Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, who declared the meeting open, advised Muslim leaders to preach peace, promising to ensure that the Quranic schools built in the state teach quality western and Islamic education.
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