By 23/01/2012 00:25:00
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IT was a dawn of bullets yesterday in Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi State. Eleven people, including a soldier and a police officer, were killed.
The killings came two days after the Friday Boko Haram mayhem in Kano, which recorded the highest ever in the history of the sect’s strikes. More than 150 died.
But the Police and the community disagreed on the hoodlums’ mode of operation.
Bauchi State Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba said the hoodlums killed 11 persons.
He said the hoodlums were in Tafawa Balewa to rob a bank, but were confronted by a combined team of armed soldiers and police.
Aduba who spoke to reporters in his office, said, “A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) was killed in a nearby hotel in the town”, but did not give details.
He said: “An Army Lance Corporal was killed at the Bununu check point, eight civilians whose identities are yet to be known were also killed by the rampaging hoodlums.”
On whether any of the invaders was killed, the police boss said: “At three o’clock in the morning, it was dark and nobody could say what happened at Ganjuwa. These hoodlums go about with their diggers and shovels and I cannot say whether they bury their dead immediately, but we caught one of them with bullet wounds.”
Aduba said the police have stepped up investigation of 10 Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) found at the scene of crime. He said six persons have been arrested.
Also yesterday, three explosions occurred by the perimeter fence of Our Lady of Lauretto Catholic Church at 2:30a.m. and at ECWA Church Railway at 5a.m. in Bauchi metropolis. But there was no loss of life, but nearby buildings were affected.
Mr. Zhadi Bukata, a spokesperson for the Sayawa Elders and Sayawa Community in Tafawa Balewa Local government Area of Bauchi State said the Police Commissioner’s media briefing was misleading.
Zhadi said: “The family of Joel Galadima, himself, wife Rauta Galadima, Lumi Galadima, Simon Galadima and their children were attacked and killed in their house in Tafawa Balewa yesterday at about 2:40 am.”
“We have just buried the other five killed by the invaders. And the DSP that was killed was a Divisional Crime Office of Toro local Government Area in Bauchi who was on relief duty because the Divisional Police Officer is on leave,” he explained.
He also debunked claims by the Police Commissioner that the hoodlums came to rob a bank, saying: “Nobody went near a bank. People were attacked in their houses”.
“The family of five that was killed lived more than two kilometers away from the bank and there is no way anybody can go to rob a bank and will go into private houses killing the occupants.’’
“Please come to Tafawa Balewa and see the destruction these people caused. The Police Commissioner is being very economical with the truth on this attack. If he has any truth, why did he not give you the name of the acting DPO?” Zhadi queried.
A similar attack on a village on the outskirts of Tafawa Balewa on January 10 claimed three lives.
The slain police officer has been identified as Ola Adeleke, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Adeleke hailed from Ogun State and was Head of the Computer Section of the Lagos State Police Command before he was posted to Bauchi State last year.
He was sent to Tafawa Balewa Local Government on relief duty three weeks ago.
THE NATION, NIGERIA
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