Fresh Explosions Kill 10 in Bauchi

Barely 48 hours after the multiple blasts in Kano that killed scores of people; three explosions Sunday rocked two places of worship in Fadaman Mada and Railways Quarters at the Tafawa Balewa area of Bauchi metropolis. Eight civilians were killed in the explosion.

Besides the blasts, some gunmen engaged a combined team of military and police personnel in a gun battle which resulted in the death of a deputy superintendent of police named Adeleke and a Nigerian Army lance corporal.

THISDAY gathered that the attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, was initially targeted at a new generation bank located in the area.

Confirming the incidence, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba, said the gunmen in an attempt to beat a retreat from Tafawa Balewa area and escape through a route at Mararraba Liman Katagum, attacked the combined team of police and military personnel in the exchange of fire, killing a military personnel on the spot.

According to him, “Investigations into the case by the police revealed that 10 unexploded improvised explosive device were recovered at the scene of the crime and six persons arrested by security agents in connection with the attack.”

He also said those arrested “…are currently helping the police to tidy up investigations, while efforts have been intensified to round-up the fleeing gunmen”.

The police commissioner called on members of the public to support security agents in combating crime, adding that it is their civic responsibility to give useful and genuine information to security agents in the state.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has said some arrests have been made with respect to the Kano explosions.

He disclosed this to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) shortly after his condolence visit to the Emir of Kano.

The president said the security forces were now "trailing" Boko Haram, and that "some arrests have been made".
But he admitted he had no idea how many militants were involved in last Friday's attacks.

"Nobody can say for now - they are not organised armed forces," he said - a slightly odd assessment given that Boko Haram, in carrying out a sophisticated and well co-ordinated series of attacks, have just given a very clear display of quite how organised they can be.

President Jonathan said he was determined to find Boko Haram's sponsors: "Terrorists all over the world have their source of income. We are also looking to those areas to make sure that so-called Boko Haram… those who are encouraging them, those who are sponsoring them, will shortly be brought to book."

The BBC further said: “When I asked him whether - given that - his forces could defeat the organisation, he said ‘of course - that will even make it easier for us to win’.”

The BBC continued: “I did not have a chance to ask him to explain what he meant before he turned and headed towards the plane.

“Earlier in the day, I visited one of the police stations destroyed on Friday. The officer, who did not want to be named, said about 50 militants had attacked simultaneously from three directions.

“They threw explosives at the walls, and then stormed the building, freeing a number of people being detained. The commander said some of those released were Boko Haram supporters involved in bank robberies to fund the group.”

The police withdrew when they ran out of bullets and escaped over a rear wall. The compound is in ruins, surrounded by burnt motor-bikes and cars.

“These suicide attacks are not really part of us - they are quite new to us. Unfortunately, the whole world is passing through terror attacks - a very ugly stage of our history. We know that we will get over it. We will continue to fight - the security services will not rest till we clean up the country,” Jonathan said.

Earlier, the president had told the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, that the terrorists were not spirits nor were they ghosts, saying there was need for a collective fight against “these terrorists and they cannot defeat Nigerians in the fight”.

The president said: “We came to pay condolence to you and the good people of Kano State over the acts of some elements in our society to create chaos, to distract us and God willing, they will never succeed.” 

Jonathan, who described Kano as a great city, a city of enterprise and a commercial centre in not just Nigeria, but in Africa with very hard working men and women, said: “All we need is the cooperation of our people to help give relevant information to the security agencies.”

Speaking earlier, the Emir in tears while delivering his speech, told Jonathan that there were inadequate number policemen in the state compared with its population.

He urged the president to consider the size of Kano and its population including its economic activities and increase the number of security agents.

He said: “On our part, our efforts in organising prayers in all over the state will be continuing. In fact, we are intensifying right now and praying that the Almighty Allah in his mercies will eliminate any other future occurrence of the ugly incident.”

The president later visited the affected areas of the bomb blast including Nigeria Police Zone 1 headquarters to access the damage and promised that the federal and state governments were ready to assist the injured and relatives of the dead in the attack.

Voicing condemnation over the attack, Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said: “These painful calamities are repercussions arising from the departure from the ways of Allah the Most High.”

While also noting that “injustice, greed and corruption led to the negative attitudes of rancour and bickering along religious and/or ethnic divides”, the Islamic groups called on all Nigerians to lean back to the ways of Allah by embracing each other, shunning violence and corruption and putting all hands on deck to make peace reign in all national affairs for sustainable security and development of Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the Secretary General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the group also tasked the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out, saying the unfortunate killings of fellow human beings and wanton destruction to properties was unacceptable.

“This is not only sad and disheartening, but totally unacceptable to every right thinking human being.  Life is sacred, and therefore must be respected, preserved and protected at all times,” it said.

Similarly, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attack.

In a message issued by his spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, Sunday, Ki-Moon said he was “appalled at the frequency and intensity of recent attacks in Nigeria, which demonstrate a wanton and unacceptable disregard for human life”.

He expressed his solidarity with the government and people of Nigeria, and expressed his hope for swift and transparent investigation into the attacks to ensure perpetrators were brought to justice.

He also extended his sincere condolences to the people of Nigeria and to the bereaved families.

Source:http://www.thisdayonline.com