A bomb and an illegal armoury factory allegedly owned by members of the Boko Haram sect yesterday exploded in Kaduna, injuring three people.
The Kaduna State Police Command, through its public relations officer, Mr. Aminu Lawan, confirmed the incident. “It is a bomb blast, the three people that sustained injuries are our prime suspects, they are in our custody,” said Lawan.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the suspects were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospitals within the metropolis.
LEADERSHIP had, on Monday, reported that there were indications of impending attacks on communities like Narayi, Ungwan Romi, Maraban Rido, Sabon Tasha, Television, Kudendan, Barnawa, Kamazo and Maraban Rido in Kaduna metropolis by the sect whose members were regrouping around Rigasa, Hayin Danmani, Mando and Afaka all in Igabi local government area of the state.
The bomb factory, which exploded at about 1pm in Mando village, a community in the Kaduna metropolis, triggered a pandemonium that sent hundreds of residents scampering to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) barracks, about 2 kilometres away.
The explosion, which took place at House No. AR 33 along Ibrahim Rintiyi Street, Unguwan Magaji, Mando, brought down about seven buildings around the house where it exploded.
Though no death was recorded, three people believed to be occupants of the house ran out of it covered with blood. They were chased and apprehended by locals who promptly handed them over to the police on their arrival to the scene.
When LEADERSHIP visited the place, it was still smelling of gunpowder with smoke bellowing from the house.
Security agencies, comprising soldiers, police anti-bomb squad, civil defence corps and plainclothes men combed the ruins of the house to reveal that it might have been an illegal armoury of a sort, as three military rifles, partly charred were recovered.
The police anti-bomb squad came up with a sack full of what is believed to be bomb making devices, complete with a car battery and a generating set.
Mallam Muba Namando (60), whose house was damaged, told LEADERSHIP: “It must have been around 1pm. I had just finished my afternoon prayers and about to come home when the ground shook, and I heard this explosion. Then I saw the house smoking. I thought it was a gas
cylinder that exploded. As I ran there, I saw three people running out. Then some people chased them and caught them. There was an argument about what to do with them. They were bleeding and some also had burns on them. We then agreed that they would not be taken to the hospital without the police knowing.
“As we were looking for ways to get to the police, a series of more explosions took place. But no one was hurt, because we were already out. By them, the police had arrived and took them away.
“I have been here for about a year. This is the first time I am seeing this kind of thing.”
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, Mallam Maidala Ilu (35), who also owns an uncompleted mud-house near the place of explosion, confirmed what Namando said.
Madam? Sara Augustine,? a neighbour? to the house, told LEADERSHIP what she saw: “My house is just? behind the house that? was bombed, I was inside my house, suddenly I heard a heavy sound even my room was vibrating extensively, so I was shocked when I heard the sound.
“Actually, I couldn’t? believe that it’s a bomb, but by the time I came out and? I saw? how the house was destroyed, all my body was shaking because this is first time I saw how bombs explode.
Also speaking to LEADERSHIP, the ward head? of Unguwan Magaji,? Malam Mai Unguwan Yakubu, said: “This is the first time we are seeing this kind of explosion, except the one in Mahuta just nearby, but now, we thank God since the law enforcement? agents are all here. So, by God Grace everything will be all right.
“I don’t know the person that rented the house because they are new in this area”.
The landlord, who had rented the house to the bombers sometime in April 2011, Aminu Yusuf (42), was arrested and brought to the place.
He told journalists that he rented the house to the suspects through an agent on July 17, 2011.
Meanwhile, an explosion has occurred in Pompomari ward in Damaturu, capital of Yobe State, and injured a suspected member of Boko Haram sect inside the house where the explosion occurred at about noon, yesterday.
The commissioner of police, Yobe State Command, Mr. Lawal Tanko, who disclosed this to journalists in his office in Damaturu, said the command received a distress call at about noon of an explosion suspected to be bomb in a room at Pompomari ward, behind the palace of the Emir of Damaturu, and then rushed to the scene.
He said the bomb exploded while being assembled by three people suspected to be Boko Haram extremists, adding that one of the suspects who was seriously wounded by the explosion identified himself as Abdullahi Bana from the Brigade Quarters and has been taken to the Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital in Damaturu where he is now receiving treatment, while two other persons escaped with varying degrees of injuries.
He said the police recovered items which included three AK-47 riffles and various other items used in making bombs or explosive materials in the house.
He said the police had cordoned off the house and the area and that some were in the bushes to search for the escapees.
He also said the police posted around the house had been directed to conduct a house-to-house search for weapons and suspects.
Also recovered is one AA679KDG which was left in front of the house where the incident occurred.
In a related situation, Dare-devil men of the underworld yesterday morning bombed a branch of a first-generation bank and a police station at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu local government area of Kogi State. They carted away arms and ammunition from the police station.
The ugly incident comes barely a month after another branch of the bank and a police station in Kabba town were bombed by some heavily armed robbers. Two officers of the state command and some arms and ammunition were also carted away.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that the armed bandits, numbering about 15, stormed the town at about 4am on Monday before hitting their targets.
The robbers, on their arrival, were said to have fired sporadically into the air to scare away people, while officers on duty at that time took to their heels when the robbers were approaching the police station.
On arrival at the station, LEADERSHIP further learnt, the first port of call of the gang was the armoury, where they carted away arms and ammunition, and subsequently bombed the building.
The gang left immediately and headed straight to the bank, firing sporadically before bombing it.
However, they could not get to the strong room, following a quick response by the men of the anti-robbery squad.
Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, the police public relations officer who confirmed the robbery incident, however, said no life was lost, and that investigation into the matter was in progress.
Also, suspected gunmen lurking around Dansadau village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in the early hours of yesterday, killed four policemen.
The policemen, identified as – Sgt Hassan Bako, Corporal Dominic Maiwada, Inspector Lawali Ibrahim Wada and Constable Yahaya Ibrahim were ambushed by the gunmen while serving as escort to a team of businessmen from the crime-prone area of Dansadau village to Kano.
Security personnel were only recently deployed to the area, following the frequent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the vigilante groups which led to the death of more than 30 people in August and October this year.
Police patrol helicopters were also despatched from the Force Headquaters in Abuja to comb the forests which serve as the hideouts for criminals in the area.
Dasadau village has recently witnessed unprecedented cases of armed robbery, thuggery and thefts, thereby giving the residents sleepless nights.
The Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command, Alhaji Tambari Yabo Muhammad has confirmed the incident and vowed to bring perpetrators of the heinous act to justice.