Police raid bomb factory in Kaduna, Yobe relaxes curfew
FRESH insight into Sunday’s bomb explosion near a filling station in Okene, Kogi State, which missed its target, emerged yesterday.
The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) Commander in the state, Lt.-Col. Gabriel Olorunyomi, disclosed that the bomb was actually planted at the front of the Lord’s Chosen Church in Obehira area of Okene, timed to explode at the end of the church service.
He also confirmed Monday’s reports of the incident indicating that no one was injured in that attack.
A captured bomber involved in the incident, it was further disclosed, confessed that another car loaded with explosives and with another set of bombers as occupants, may have headed for Abuja to carry out a bomb attack.
The source disclosed that the vehicle was timed to explode at a police station, aided by underground petrol tanks, to cause heavy fire outbreak with hundreds of worshippers returning from nearby churches as targets.
Contrary to reports that the bombers had waited for church service to commence before carrying out the attack, it was learnt that the bombers, from investigations, decided to change tactics choosing to launch their attack after the end of service.
The senator representing Kogi-Central Senatorial District, Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has urged the people of the area to remain calm but vigilant. The senator made his appeal while reacting to the explosion.
In a statement by his media aide, Michael Jegede, the senator condemned the spate of explosions from such improvised explosive device across the troubled states and their seeming spread.
He called on the people of Kogi-Central Senatorial District and Nigerians at large, to remain prayerful while the security agents conduct further investigation to unravel the incident.
But Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State has also approved that the restriction of movement imposed across the state be relaxed with effect from yesterday. Restriction of movement now starts from 10.00 p.m. to 7.00 a.m. in all parts of the state, including Potiskum Town.
Besides, as part of the efforts to combat insecurity in Kaduna State, the police command yesterday raided a bomb factory located at Rafin-Guza, near Kawo, where it impounded different cans of explosives and bomb-making powder.
Speaking with journalists on the development at a press conference, the state Commissioner of Police, Jinjiri Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed that a “confessed terrorist” led the police to the hideout where other items were equally recovered, including two bags of chemicals, a jerry-can of acid, two masks, an AK-47 magazine with 27 rounds of live ammunition and eight car alarm systems.
According to the commissioner, earlier on July 12, 2012, his men arrested three bandits who robbed a filling station manager at Maraban Yakawaada, Giwa Local Council Area.
Abubakar listed weapons recovered from them to include an AK-47 rifle loaded with 28 rounds of live ammunition, a revolver pistol with six rounds of live ammunition and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
Commenting on last Sunday’s arrest of two gunmen in Kaduna, Abubakar said: “On July 15, 2012, at about 10.30, following distress calls as sporadic gunshots were being fired at Hayin Taro-Taro, Rigasa area, a police patrol team raced to the scene and discovered that three gunmen on a motorcycle were attacking the residence of one Aliyu Abdulwahab, district head of Afaka, when people who sighted them raised alarm. “The gunmen continued to shoot indiscriminately in their bid to escape, injuring seven persons in the process. Police and Army patrol teams assisted by youths around, went in hot pursuit and arrested two of the gunmen namely: Nura Abubakar and Mohammed Kabir at Mahuta village, with injuries.”
