EARLY morning explosion, on Monday, rocked the popular West Africa textile market, Kwanti-Kwari, Kano, when a bomb exploded and injured an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and two paramilitary men who were directing traffic.
However, a source disclosed that one FRSC member, one HISBAH guard and one paramilitary man called Karota were injured in the incident.
This is just as the state police command confirmed that no life was lost during the explosion, while the Joint Task Force (JTF) admitted that one person sustained injuries.
The incident, which occurred between 7.00 a.m and 8.00 a.m, was said to have occurred around IBB Way, by the popular cinema, Placia, where security operatives were directing the traffic.
A source, who preferred anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune that the bomb blast would have wreaked more havoc if traders and buyers had arrived earlier in the market.
As of the time of filing this report, security operative had cordoned off the area, to prevent recurrence.
The JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Ikedich Iwehia, confirmed that no life was lost.
Spokesman of the state police command, Magaji Majiya, who also confirmed that no life was lost, added, however, that three persons, who sustained injuries, had been discharged from the hospital.
In another development, updated list of supporters and financiers of the Boko Haram sect has been submitted to the presidency, top intelligence sources have told the Nigerian Tribune.
This is coming just as fresh reports indicated that top leaders of the sect were making their way to the troubled northern Mali, following recent hike in the activities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) across the northern part of the country.
“I can confirm to you that we have forwarded an updated and authenticated list of sponsors of the sect to the presidency. The list is not guess work, but outcome of months of surveillance and counter-surveillance,” the source said.
The top official added that “we have evidence relating to their mobile phone conversations, meetings and other direct facts. We believe we can secure convictions based on available facts.”
The source described the latest report as a highly confidential one, adding that the list was beyond names already known to the public, as it included figures and personalities no one would ordinarily link with the sect.
An official, however, acknowledged that in recent months, the sect appeared to have outgrown its sponsors, hinting that “their backers are now struggling to rein them in without success.”
There are strong indications that members of the sect are already migrating to the Sahel region, due to direct offensive by the JTF and the impending international action against islamists in Northern Mali.
Senior Nigerian security officials insisted that scores of top Boko Haram commanders had fled to Mali and Somalia since mid-September, after crackdowns in northern Nigeria.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after the attack in Ngala by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect, violence broke out between gunmen and security operatives in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Monday, resulting in the death of at least nine persons.
Thlama Musa, a civil servant, told the Nigerian Tribune that “I was at the state government secretariat when the Boko Haram came and attacked security men at the gate while exchange of fire ensued, resulting in the death of two members of the sect, while three others were arrested by security personnels.”
Nigerian Tribune reported that two explosions had earlier occurred in Gwange ward, though no casualty was recorded.
Also, a private school beside the state low cost housing estate had two of its teachers shot dead in the classrooms.
When the Nigerian Tribune called to enquire about the incident from a telephone number, the man, who preferred anonymity, said “I am not a teacher but a baker and I am still mouring my six men who were shot dead by these boys, please get some people from the school to speak with you.”
Attempts, however, to get the state Commissioner of Police, Yuguda Abdullahi, or the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel. Sagir Musa, to speak on the incident failed.
Tribune
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