Gunmen attack Yobe •Kill DPO, 13 others

Sound of gunshots continued  for hours on Monday when gunmen suspected to be  Islamic militants attacked Potiskum town in Yobe State, killing a DPO and 13 others.

Nigerian Tribune also gathered that the gunmen razed down a branch of Unity Bank in the town, telecom masts and a police station.

Speaking to a resident of Angwar Bolewa in Potiskum, Mallam Kawu Fika told Nigerian Tribune that, “Gunmen suspected to be terrorists laid ambush to Potiskum town in the early hours of today (Monday), where they succeeded in killing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Mr Mohammed Garba, including thirteen others.”

He also said that, the Unity Bank branch office in the area, telecommunication masts belonging Etisalat, MTN and Airtel and a police station were bombed and razed by the terrorists who used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during the attack.

Kawu said he was not aware that the terrorists tried to attack the emir’s palace, but an unconfirmed report had it that the terrorists made attempt to attack the palace of the emir of Fika, Alhaji Mohammed Idrissa Ibn Abale, but, it failed as they were repelled by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) stationed in the palace.

This was the second time the emir of Fika was being targeted by the terrorist group.

The first time was a couple of months ago when the emir was attacked by a suicide bomber during a Friday congregation prayers in front of the palace, but he was unhurt.

Kawu told Nigerian Tribune that Monday’s attack and killings took place at about 2.00 a.m., when some terrorists laid ambush to some military check points, Unity Bank office/branch, police station and telecom masts which resulted in an exchange of gunfire from the JTF, where a DPO, three others suspected to be terrorists were killed.

Confirming the incident to journalists in Damaturu, the state capital, the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Eli Lazarus said there was an attack by some Boko Haram terrorists in Potiskum town, where a DPO was killed.

He said: “We repelled the attack and succeeded in killing 13 of the suspects, three dead bodies of the suspects were recovered on the streets of Potiskum by the JTF, while some of the terrorists succeeded in carrying away 10 of the dead bodies of their colleagues and escaped with them through the bush.”

He added that the JTF had already swung into action in order to arrest the fleeing suspects with the dead bodies, even as he stressed that the whole town had been cordoned off with a view to preventing further attacks and killings.

Attempts to get the reaction of the Yobe State police Commissioner, Mr Patrick Egbunuwe failed. Nigerian Tribune later learnt that the police commissioner was not picking his calls due to the magnitude of the attack which involved a senior police officer.

Source: Tribune