Bloody Sunday In Bauchi,Nasarawa, Adamawa

Bloody Sunday In Bauchi,Nasarawa, Adamawa

Source:Tribune

TEN Nigerian soldiers were reportedly
killed in Gombi and Hong local
government areas of Adamawa State late
Sunday night, in a gun battle with
insurgents.

Reports showed that Boko Haram
insurgents had annexed additional two
local government areas in their attempt to
move to Yola, the capital of Adamawa
State.

Nigerian tribune gathered that the
Nigerian troops were battling hard to
push away the militants from Gombi and
Hong local government areas of the state.
The insurgents were said to be heading
to Yola, a hundred kilometre from Gombi,
but met resistance from the Nigeria
troops, who were trying to push them
back.

Some fleeing residents of Gombi, speaking
with reporters in Yola, on Sunday, said
the insurgents had taken over the entire
Gombi Local Government Area of the
state.

According to them, a number of Nigerian
troops were killed by the insurgents.
A source among the residents said the
dreaded group conducted a house-to-
house search, killing many residents of
Gombi in the process.

Meanwhile, Governor Bala James Ngilari
has denied reports that the sect had
taken over Hong and Gombi local
government areas of the state.

Ngilari, who spoke through his Director of
Press and Publicity, Mr.P. P. Elisha, said
the insurgents were making efforts to
force their way in the said councils, but
met resistance from the Nigerian troops.
Elisha, however, said the state
government had announced restriction of
movement in the two councils, because of
the ongoing battle between the Nigeria
troops and the Boko Haram sect.

He said the decision was taken after the
governor held a meeting with military
authorities in Yola. 10 die as bomb explodes in Bauchi
market,ABOUT 10 people were confirmed dead on
Sunday evening, as another bomb blast
hit Azare, the headquarters of Katagum
Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

This came barely 10 days after a twin-
bomb explosion occurred at a branch of
FirstBank Plc in the ancient town.
The Sunday’s blast, the Nigerian Tribune
gathered, occurred at about 5.30 p.m. at
the GSM market in the town, Kasuwan
Jagol, where people, particularly young
men, sell and repair handsets and
accessories.

The market is attached to the stadium at
Unguwan Gabas.
Residents suspected that the latest bomb
explosion in the town was carried out by
a female suicide bomber, though there
was no confirmation of this from security
agencies as of the time of filing this
report.Hospital sources informed that the death
toll might be high, as some of the victims
were seriously affected.

The sources said some of the victims
would have to be referred for further
treatment elsewhere, probably at the
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi or
the Aminu Kano Specialist Hospital, Kano.
A resident, Babale Musa, who spoke with
the Nigerian Tribune on phone, informed
that the explosion was devastating, as
Sunday was market day in the town.

According to him, many people were
injured in the incident, adding that the
injured were rushed to the Federal
Medical Centre (FMC) in the town.
He, however, lamented that the incident
happened at a time members of the Joint
Health Sector (JOHESU) were on a
nationwide strike.

“It is unfortunate, this is the third time
bomb explosion was happening in Azare
within one month. Just penultimate
Friday, there was an explosion at the
ATM in FirstBank premises. Today again,
we experience another one,” Musa told
the Nigerian Tribune.

Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune,
the lawmaker representing Azare/
Madagali in the Bauchi State House of
Assembly, Honourable Baba Abubakar
Suleiman, said though he was out of
town, hospital sources informed him that
12 people died in the incident, while 46
others sustained varying degrees of injury.

The lawmaker, who is the Majority Leader
in the assembly, stated that the current
insurgency in the country portrayed
Nigeria as a failed nation.

The state Police Public Relations Officer
(PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, confirmed
the bomb explosion, but could not confirm
the actual figure of the casualties.
Fulani mercenaries in Nasarawa set
Ombatse shrine ablaze, spiritual head,
Alakyo, feared killed
By Ademola Adegbite - Lafia
FULANI mercenaries, early on Sunday
morning, set outlawed Ombatse militia
shrine ablaze in Alakyo village, Nasarawa
State and its spiritual head, Lega Agu,
popularly known as Baba Alakyo is feared
killed in Nasarawa.

Informed Eggon sources told the Nigerian
Tribune last night that the village was
seized for several hours and residents
were chased out completely.
Another source said the spiritual head,
whose whereabouts was unknown as of
the time of filing this report was said to
have disappeared immediately marauders
invaded the village around 3.00 a.m.

It will be recalled that over 90 security
operatives were brutally killed on May 7,
2013 by the militia group.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after Governor
Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa
State embarked on a peace walk to mark
a day of peace, unity and friendship in
Lafia, the state capital, the Fulani
mercenaries and Ombatse militiamen
engaged themselves over control of the
state.

At the end of the operation, which started
around 3.00 a.m. at Alakyo village and
ended around 11.00 a.m. at Shabu, about
10 kilometres from Alakyo, left scores
dead, while many, including the state
Head of Service, Mr Dominic Bako,
sustained various degrees of injuries.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Shabu, the
headquarters of Lafia North Development
Area was attacked at 8.00 a.m. by
Ombatse militiamen. who were said to be
retreating from Alakyo area. where they
battled Fulani mercenaries since 3.00 a.m.

It was learnt further that melee ensued
after the fleeing Ombatse militiamen were
gloated at by Gwandara youths at Shabu
for starting a fight and then ran away.
This, according to the eyewitnesses, did
not go down well with the militiamen,
who were mocked, as they started
shooting sporadically and in the process,
a bullet hit a woman, who was said to be
a refugee from Arikya village, where over
30 persons were killed by Fulani
mercenaries penultimate Friday.

One of the eyewitnesses, who did not
want her name in the print, said the
Ombatse boys have been keeping vigil on
Alakyo community since information at
their disposal was that Fulani mercenaries
might invade the village.

According to him, members of Shabu
community were forced to take bush
paths for safety, because as soon as the
Ombatse invaded the town, they took
control of Lafia-Akwanga federal highway.
This, he said created tension in Lafia, the
state capital, as people continued to
move en masse to run for their dear lives.

Also, Halima Musa, who spoke to the
Nigerian Tribune said: “I don’t know the
whereabouts of my six children, because
the attack came so swiftly. Ombatse
killed any Gwandara person, because they
said the governor, Al-Makura, who is our
kinsman, has allowed the killing of Eggons
in the state.”

Another eyewitness, Beatrice Sunday,
whom the car she was travelling in was
stopped at Shabu, said “Ombatse
searched every car that passed as of time
of the crisis and killed anyone who had
the semblance of a Fulani man.

“Two people were pulled out of the
Sienna bus we were travelling in and
butchered to death. In fact, they
butchered the one at the back seat while
alighting,” she recounted in tears.
When contacted on phone, the Police
Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr
Okechukwu Thiodus, confirmed the
incident, saying casualty figure was still
sketchy.

As of the time of filing this report, four
corpses had been deposited at Dalhatu
Araf Special Hospital (DASH) in Lafia,
while over 20 persons, who had various
degrees of injury were receiving treatment
at the casualty unit of the hospital, with
most of them lying on bare floor for want
of space.

In a short interview with the Nigerian
Tribune at DASH, the head of service, Mr
Bako, said he went to pick his wife in
Keffi and on getting Shabu, he saw some
irate youths, fully armed and as he was
about making a u-turn, one of them shot
him in his hand.