BARELY 12 hours to the anniversary of 20 January, 2012 gunmen attack
in Kano that led to the death of over 200 people, another terrorist act
was launched on Saturday on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji (Dr)
Ado Bayero, in which about six persons dead.
However, while the emir was said to have escaped unhurt, his driver
and some of his traditional guards were said to have lost their lives.
The Interim Management Officer of Kumbotso Local Government Area of
the state was also said to have lost his life in the attack, while two
of the traditional ruler’s sons, whose identities were given as the
Turakin Kano and the Ciroman Kano, were reported to have sustained
injuries.
Unconfirmed reports had it that the terrorists, who came in security
uniforms, a battered Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and motorcycles, first
threw Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the convoy of Alhaji
Bayero before firing gunshots at the vehicles.
The attack was said to have been carried out near Hockey Field on Zoo
road by Total Gasoline station at the time the emir was returning from
the graduation ceremony of an Islamic school at Macalazi Murtala.
It was also gathered that apart those who fell victim to the attack
on the emir’s entourage, many Almajiris who were returning from the
occasion of Quranic recitation and Islamic graduation also sustained
varying degrees of injuries.
However, a source who pleaded anonymity, said the emir had already left the occasion before the incident occurred.
It will be recalled that rumour was recently doing the rounds in the
state that some gunmen were planning to mark the one year anniversary of
the gruesome killing of innocent people on 20 January, 2012 today.
They were said to have promised to unleash terror during the anniversary.
Our source hinted that knowing that the emir would be at the Quranic
recitation, the gunmen capitalised on the traditional gunshots that
always heralded his movement to and arrival at an occasion to launch the
attack.
The development was said to have caught the people around unawares,
as they could not immediately discern what was happening, adding that
before the people could realise that the shots were not from the emir’s
guard’s guns, the four gunmen, who were said to have been at alert, had
carried out the attack.
In another breath, a different source hinted that it was not the
emir’s personal driver that was killed in the attack, but one of those
driving his other vehicles, reiterating that the emir had left the
occasion before the attack.
Security tightened on Kano roads
However, many of
the roads leading to Zoo road had been cordoned off by heavily-armed
and fierce looking Joint Task Force (JTF) members preventing people from
moving freely into the area.
In the same vein, as of the time of filing this report, the Kano Road
Transport Agent (KAROTA) staff were seen towing damaged vehicles
abandoned along roads, apparently, as a result of the attack.
Efforts to get comments of both the state police command and the
military Joint Task Force (JTF) over the attack proved abortive, as
calls made to their spokespersons’ telephone lines did not go through.
Security chiefs look beyond Boko Haram
In the
meantime, Sunday Tribune has also gathered that top security chiefs in
the country have swung into action following the attack on the Alhaji
Bayero after confirmation that investigators are already looking beyond
the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, as the likely perpetrators.
Sources in security circles confirmed to Sunday Tribune that security
agencies, especially the State Security Service (SSS) had immediately
swung into action and had concluded that the attack on the respected
emir would not be narrowed to just a source.
A source said that the security chiefs were looking into the
situation in the Kano Emirate and the possible line of succession to
isolate possible cause of tension.
It was gathered that besides looking at Islamic fundamentalism as a
possible cause of the attack on the monarch, other sources are being
combed with a list of those to be interrogated already drawn up.
“I can assure you that security agencies are not taking the attack
lightly. You have to note that the monarch represents a very powerful
institution, a respected stool with rich historical background. It is
possible; some persons eyeing the stool could hide under the cover of
fundamentalism to wreck havoc. That is why no stone is being left
unturned,” a source said.
“As early as Monday, some of the big names in question would be
interrogated and anyone found culpable would face the wrath of the law,”
another source stated, adding that the agencies would not be distracted
by any other claims that might be thrown up by other sources.
Arewa, Yuguda condemn attack
Meanwhile, the Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF) and Bauchi State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda,
on Saturday, condemned the attack on Alhaji Bayero, both saying the news
came as a rude shock.
Governor Yuguda, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary
(CPS), Mr Ishola Michael, said; “I received the sad news with shock,
wondering why someone would want to take the life of another person,
particularly that of one of the leading royal fathers in Nigeria, who is
genuinely and deeply committed to peace and peaceful coexistence.”
The governor, while sympathising with the family of the monarch over
the unfortunate incident, also condoled the families of those who lost
their lives defending the emir, saying that, “they died in active
service laying down their lives for the emir, and may Allah grant the
departed aljannatul firdaus and their families the fortitude to bear the
irreparable loss.”
He also sympathised with the government and people of Kano State over
the incident, praying God to avert such occurrence in future, just as
he wished the royal father quick recovery from the shock and trauma the
attack might have caused him.
Yuguda appealed to “well-meaning Nigerians” to expose all bad eggs in
their midst because, according to him, “these criminals live among us.
We must expose them so that their criminal activities will be stopped
and peace will return to Nigeria.”
ACF, in its statement issued and signed by its National Publicity
Secretary, Anthony Sani, said; “the emir, as a custodian of traditional
values and culture that inspired peaceful coexistence, harmony and
stability, should not reasonably be the target of attacks by any right
thinking person or group.
“Consequently, ACF condemns the attacks with all sense of seriousness
and concern because violence can never address perceived grievances,
however strong we feel about them. May God repose the souls of those who
died in the attacks and provide their families the fortitude to bear
the irreparable losses.”
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