•49 killed as soldiers gun down 100 terrorists
It was indeed a bloody day in Kano, Kaduna and Borno states yesterday as no fewer than 49 people were killed when Boko Haram members went on the rampage.
About 100 insurgents were shot dead by the military in Konduga, about 50 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
In Kano, terrorists attacked the Federal College of Education. In the confrontation with policemen whose efforts reduced the carnage, 15 civilians were killed while the insurgents lost two members. President Goodluck Jonathan, while condoling with the bereaved families, commended the police force by promptly confronting the hoodlums.
Fulani herdsmen returned to Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State about 1.30am, killing 32 villagers. It was the second attack since June this year. Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) condemned the attacks as the latter appealed to Boko Haram insurgents to lay down their arms while reacting to the Kano incident.
In Kano, the Police Commissioner, Alhaji Adenrele Shinaba, confirmed the death of 17 people following gunshots and bomb explosions by insurgents on the premises and students of the education college. He told reporters that two of the insurgents were killed by security personnel while 15 civilians lost their lives.
According to him, about 34 persons were injured, adding that they have been taken to the hospital while the corpses have been deposited in the morgue. He said an AK-47 rifle and a magazine were recovered at the scene of the attack. Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent Magaji Majiya, said the police engaged the terrorists in a gun duel, along the College of Education, adding that some of them went into the premises of the college, shooting sporadically while escaping.
Eyewitnesses told Daily Sun that the noon attack on the college lasted just about 10 minutes, adding that the attackers were dressed in suit and attracted their initial attention by their shots that rang like bell in the air.
A lecturer of the English Department who opted for anonymity, recalled: “Suddenly, we heard sporadic shots from the gate of the new campus. After a few minutes, there was an explosion at the Twin-theater. We could see from a far distance the whole scene because we were at the upstairs of the School of Languages. It was where we were when we saw a man running and shooting sporadically.
“They were three of them running, shooting in different directions. One of them was running in one direction. He ran into the Twin-theater and exploded the bomb there. The second suspect while shooting to scare off the crowd went in the direction of the School of Arts and Social Sciences. The third person simply disappeared in the crowd”, he added.
A number of students had earlier scaled the fence of the college during the shootouts, but a majority who were trapped in the college had to wait for the soldiers to escort them to where they could pick cabs to their respective homes.
Fulani herdsmen yesterday attacked Sanga LGA, killing over 32 villagers. Spokesman of Kaduna State Police Command, SP Amuni Lawan, confirmed the bloody attack, saying, he was yet to get the details at press time.
Also, Vice Chairman, Sanga LGA, Mr. Bulus Mande, confirmed the attack.
An eyewitness, Mr. Bezard said: “We heard before now that Fulani are planning to come and attack us again. Last night, around 1.am., they came around. They entered Fadan Karshi, Karshi Daji and Unguwan Ganye all close to one another in Sanga LGA.
“They first ambushed a military patrol van that was crossing a bridge from Fadan Karshi to Karshi Daji. They fired at the soldiers and killed one, and four were injured. But the soldiers repelled the attacks. The Fulani men then moved in three groups. One went to Fadan Karshi, where they killed 12 people and burnt down 20 houses an injured scores.
“They moved to Karshi Daji and killed 20 people and burnt down severe houses. Those that attacked Ungwan Ganye are still in the place, so we cannot tell you the casualty figure now. But among those killed in Fadan Karshi include the wife of a very respectable retired Reverend, Rev, Jacob Aku. His wife was burnt to ashes in the attack,” he said.
Governor Yero and the ACF in their separate statements, yesterday said that the two attacks were carried out by enemies of peace, who are bent on derailing the peace in the two states.
Yero, whose spokesman, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki said: “the attackers were clearly out to create tension in the state with selfish and dangerous aim while pleading with such unscrupulous elements and their sponsors to stop killing innocent and defenseless people.
Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, ACF said: “It will continue to call on the insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace peace, because ordinary Nigerians who fall victims of their attacks do not understand the grievance or reasons for the attacks by the insurgents.
“Meanwhile, about 100 insurgents have been killed in another shootout with troops in the central towns of Borno, security sources said.
Some terrorists who were set to attack Konduga, were repelled by the military, leading to heavy shootout. “About 100 Boko Haram terrorists were killed,” says the source who did not want to be named.
A member of the youth vigilante in Maiduguri, Abba Mohammed, said the insurgents may have come to Konduga with heavy weapons to avenge the killings of heir men last week by the soldiers. “They were heavily armed but God was on our side. You know they are still affected by the killing of their fighters last week by soldiers when they came to attack the same Konduga. The end has come to them and this is just the beginning,” he boasted.
President Jonathan has condoled with the people of Kano State on the killings. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan sympathized with the injured and wished them speedy recovery. He commended the officers and men of the police force who took prompt action to confront the attackers and minimize resultant casualties.
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