One Cop, Three Others Killed as Police Foil Boko Haram Bank Robbery Attempt
Banking activities in Damaturu were on Thursday disrupted, after gunmen allegedly shut dead a policeman at the branch of one of the old generation commercial bank.
Police source said the gunmen, who were later identified as members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, had tried to rob the bank, but met resistance from the policemen on duty.
It was gathered that confusion had engulfed everywhere as people scampered to safety, following sporadic exchange of gunfire between members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on one hand, members of the local vigilante group on the other and Boko Haram terrorists.
It was gathered that the Boko Haram sect, had defiled the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the State by government, to launch the deadly attack at the bank.
It was also gathered that, the Islamic sect members may be broke and as such had wanted to attack the bank and steal some money.
“After they met that resistance, they used grenade to blow up the bank’s ATM machine, it was during that explosion that the policeman was shot dead, before they finally left the place, and were going on motorcycles, shooting aimlessly at in direction.”
However, three Boko Haram members were also shut death in the process, as they tried to escape. It was also gathered that, while one group of the terrorists had failed to penetrate the bank, and had retreated, another group allegedly attacked Bojude Police Post in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Fwaji Atajiri , Spokesman of the Police in Gombe State confirmed the attack and said “apart from the three suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed many others escaped with bullets wounds”
“The attack occurred at about 10am this morning when suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Bojude Police Out Post in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State after they could not succeed in robbing a bank.”
“Three suspected Boko Haram Terrorist died during the attack while a Police Corporal was also killed ” Atajiri said.
The spokesman revealed that serious search for the fleeing terrorists has since commenced and requested the assistance of any one with useful information.
Bojude is about 40 Kilometers away from Gombe state Capital.
Gombe State has of late come under the Boko Haram siege. Gunmen on Monday allegedly had staged an unprecedented attack at Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, North Eastern part of Nigeria.
A senior Policeman attached to the attacked Mobile Police formation, told our Correspondent in a telephone interview from Damaturu that, the gunmen sacked the Mobile Police unit in the early hour of Monday.
The Mobile Police base which is located on the outskirts of the town has been allegedly burnt down by the “rampaging gunmen”, who began the attack at dawn Monday.
Students of the Yobe State University allegedly fled into the bushes for safety, as explosions, gunfire continues to rock the troubled North Eastern State of Nigeria. It would be recalled also that a deadly explosion had reportedly ripped through a bus station in Gombe, two Policemen and six other persons were killed.
Abdulrahman Sule, a serving Police office and a resident of Damaturu, the Gombe State capital, North East Nigeria, had told our Correspondent in a telephone chat that, that two Policemen, his former colleagues and six other persons died in the explosion.
The explosion, our sources said, happened Friday morning at the popular Gombe Line Transport Services Limited, in about 9.00am.
The Policeman also stated that, the explosion occurred shortly after the patrol vehicle of security stationed in the area, departed.
The latest explosion occurred few days a bloody attack occurred in Mubi part of Adamawa State.