Bauchi— Barely 24 hours after explosions rocked several parts of Kano State metropolis, leaving 162 persons dead, two churches were destroyed when two bombs exploded in the neighbouring Bauchi State in the wee hours of yesterday while some unidentified gunmen invaded the Tafawa Balewa area of the metropolis killing eight civilians, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, a soldier and another unidentified police corporal. The deceased DSP was simply identified as Adeleke.
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Kano Bomb Blast Victims at the Murtala Mohammed General Hospital,kano. Photo Olu Ajayi |
Vanguard learnt that although no casualty was recorded during the blasts in the churches, the vibration from the explosions destroyed the roofs of the churches and damaged part of their perimeter fences, just as louvres in the adjourning houses were shattered.
A Bauchi township resident, Garbi Ali, said he heard two explosions around 2 a. m. before anyone would likely be in church, and went out to investigate.
“One of the churches was at the railway line. They just destroyed the gate. But the other one at Fadama was completely destroyed and the roof collapsed,” he told Reuters by telephone, adding that he did not think there were any casualties.
Experts, however, told Vanguard that the explosions were caused by alleged Improvised Explosive Devices, IED, the types usually used in quarries for blasting rocks.
Vanguard further gathered that alleged attempt by those who attacked the two churches to rob a new generation bank located in the area was, however, aborted by a combined team of military and police personnel, who confronted the gunmen in gun duel.
Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, while confirming the incident, told newsmen that the gunmen in a bid to beat a retreat from Tafawa Balewa and thereby escape through Mararraba Liman Katagum, attacked a combined team of police and military personnel, killing a military personnel on the spot.
According to Aduba, “preliminary investigations into the case by the police, revealed that 10 unexploded IED were recovered at the scene of the crime and six persons have been arrested by security agents in connection with the attack. They are currently helping the police to tidy up investigation, while efforts have been intensified to round-up the fleeing gunmen.”
Aduba then urged members of the public to support security agents in combating crime, saying it is the civic responsibility of the public to give useful and genuine information to security men in the state.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/dsp-army-corporal-8-others-killed-as-explosions-rock-bauchi/