Boko Haram strikes again, kills 7 in Maiduguri

Despite heavy security put in place to tame the Boko Haram sect and as the Senate was having crucial meeting with security chiefs in Abuja on how to find solution to the problem, yesterday, the group struck

again killing seven persons in separate attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Those killed included two policemen, a soldier, an assistant superintendent of customs (ASC II) and three civilians.
The policemen whose ranks could not be ascertained at press time were killed in Gwange area.

One of the slain policemen identified as Babagana Angus was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, at the Gwange Divisional Police Station.

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen had stormed Babagana’s residence at at about 11 am on a motorcycle and disappeared as soon as their mission was accomplished. A police operational vehicle was seen with the corpse of Babagana in front of the Accident and Emergency Unit of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH, at about 12.30 pm.

Less than three hours after the killing of Babagana, another policeman was also killed at Gwange. Details of the second killing were sketchy yesterday. And at  London Chiki, a soldier was killed.

Commander of the Joint Task Force, Maj Gen Jack Nwaogbo, who spoke to Vanguard on phone before the reported killing of the soldier, said that the force had received the news of the early morning killing at Gwange. He added that he was “yet to receive any information on the Bulunkutu,” promising to furnish journalists with details when he is briefed.

Details of  the incident

The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, could not be reached on his mobile phone, yesterday, as his line remained switched off.

Meanwhile, the Senate held a closed door meeting with the service chiefs and heads of security agencies, yesterday.
Briefing Journalists at the end of the session, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, assured Nigerians that Boko Haram menace and insecurities will soon be nipped in the bud.

He said the Police confirmed that arrests have been made adding: “Security agencies have been making arrests and as a matter of fact, they gave us detailed briefing mentioning names of those they have arrested. But you know after arrest, they are obliged to take those arrested to court and most often, they are granted bail and they return to their nefarious ways. One of the issues was the need for the judiciary to be integrated into efforts to fight terrorism.”

Present at the meeting which was presided over by Senate President David Mark, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Air staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petirin, National Security Adviser, NSA, General Oweye Azazi; Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim; Director_General, State Security Service, Ita Ekpenyong; DIG, Ivy Uche Okorokwo, the 2ic to the Inspector General of Police, among others.

Ndoma-Egba said: “The briefing was extensive and covered every aspect of the security challenges currently facing our country including the Boko Hara phenomenon. Questions were asked, clarifications sought and they were given.

“At the end of the day I can say with certainty that the security chiefs have assured Nigerians that they are on top of the situation and that these challenges especially the challenge of Boko Haram will be contained sooner than later.”

3 die in Police-Boko Haram shoot out in Bauchi

In a related development, three people were confirmed killed, while several others sustained gun shot injuries, yesterday, when police raided an alleged hide-out of Boko Haram at Anguwan Kura in Jahun ward of Bauchi State.

Vanguard gathered that the sound of the gunshots caused panic among residents in the area particularly in Dutse Tanshi, Danjuma Goje Street, Federal Low Cost Housing and Games Village. The police operation which lasted almost six hours was said to have been a pro-active action aimed at smoking out the Boko Haram members in the state. An eye witness said that he saw one man who was shot in his stomach and another man shot on his hand and legs.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammad Barau, said: “The police received information that criminals were hiding in one house in Anguwan Kur and based on this information, a team of police men cordoned off the house and the people inside the house opened fire on the police. The police attacked them and overpowered them.”

Also, in a move to check the excesses of Boko Haram sect, the Nigerian Airforce, NAF, yesterday  said it had begun air surveillance around northern parts of the country experiencing attacks, threatening to use force when necessary.

Already the Chief of the Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Mohammed Diko Umar has deployed air force men in the troubled states along side other sister services. The CAS  stated this during an interview with journalists at the 2011 Air Force Logistics Conference held at the Logistic command, Ikeja.source.Vanguard