Gunmen, explosion kill soldier, 11 others in Rivers, Borno

30/05/2016 

 

 

 Twelve persons, including a soldier were on Saturday and Sunday killed in Rivers and Borno States by gunmen and an Improvise Explosive Device (IED) which was planted by Boko Haram terrorists when they were still holding sway on Biu-Damboa Road close to a military checkpoint.

While eight people were killed during an attack by suspected gunmen in Ozochi community in Ahoada East community of Rivers State, the IED which exploded when a tricycle, popularly known as ‘Keke NAPEP’ stepped on it, claimed a soldier and three civilians.

In a statement by the Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, he said when the tricycle stepped on the IED, it instantly exploded and killed four people including a woman with her baby and two other male adults.

“At about 8.15am today (yesterday) a tricycle, known as “Keke NAPEP” unknowingly stepped on an Improvise Explosive Device (IED) planted by the side of Biu-Damboa Road close to a military checkpoint at the outskirts of Biu town, Borno State.

“Three other persons were in­jured including a soldier and they were immediately evacuated to Biu General Hospital. We regret to state that the injured soldier also died at the hospital.”

The Army, however, noted that the General Area has been cordoned off and Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) team from Forward Operation Base (FOB) in Buratai had been mobilised to carry out further search of the area.

Preliminary investigations, the army said, showed that the IED was buried long ago undetected and that it exploded when the tricycle erroneously stepped on it.

While commiserating with the families of the victims, the Army said: “This unfortunate development has brought to the fore, the need for more security conscious­ness and vigilance among all.

“We would like to reiterate that the explosion would not deter us from seeing to the end of Boko Har­am terrorists wherever they might be hiding through our ongoing clearance operations.

“We want to use this opportunity to solicit for more cooperation from the members of the public to ena­ble us to succeed in the fight against the remnants of these criminal elements going by the appellation ‘Boko Haram terrorists’”.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Sunday discovered two bomb making factories in Dikwa.

The NSCDC commandant, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

Abdullahi said that the factories were discovered during a patrol by men of the command in collabora­tion with the troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army.

In the Rivers’ killings, The AUTHORITY gathered that the victims were shot dead by suspected cultist who invaded the community on Saturday night.

A reliable source said eight persons including the oldest man in the community were killed at the end of the attack but could not confirm the group which carried out the heinous act or what led to the attack.

The rampaging gunmen were also said to have set ablaze shops and other buildings.

The Caretaker Committee (CTC) Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Okpara Ewor, and the lawmaker rep­resenting the constituency in the State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, confirmed the incident to journalists.

Ewor, who spoke through his media aide, Monday Oyagiri, condemned the attack and described the perpetrators as enemies of the state.