Yobe bomb blast: US warns citizens in Nigeria

on NOVEMBER 7, 2011 · in HEADLINES

  

*More attacks coming — Boko Haram

By Emma Nnadozie,  Clifford Ndujihe, Sam Eyoboka, Albert Akpor, Charles Kumolu, Victoria Ojeme & Olayinka Latona with agency reports

ABUJA- FOLLOWING weekend’s bomb blasts and gun attacks in Damaturu, Yobe State capital by Islamic sect, Boko Haram which claimed more than 100 lives, the United States Embassy in Nigeria has warned its citizens in Nigeria to avoid luxury hotels in Abuja which may be the next targets of the sect even as the death toll has risen to 100.

The US embassy in a statement yesterday said it has information that the Boko Haram sect “may plan to attack several locations and hotels in Abuja”.

The statement did not however disclose when the attacks would be carried out. The statement titled “Emergency Message For American Citizens”, reads thus:

“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria issues the following emergency message for the attention of all U.S. citizens in Abuja, Nigeria.

Following the recent Boko Haram, aka Nigerian Taliban, attacks in Borno and Yobe State, the U.S. Embassy has received information that Boko Haram may plan to attack several locations and hotels in Abuja, Nigeria, during the Sallah holiday.

“All U.S. Government personnel have been instructed to avoid these locations, and previously scheduled events have been cancelled.  American citizens should expect additional police and military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks in Abuja for the foreseeable future.

“The U.S. government has no additional information regarding the timing of the possible attacks.
“The Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to exercise additional caution.   Please maintain a high state of vigilance and personal awareness, particularly in and around Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, near Nigerian government facilities, diplomatic missions, large gathering places, hotels, markets and malls, and places of worship.

“We advise all U.S. citizens to review their personal security plans, remain aware of their surroundings, including local events, monitor local news stations for updates, and report specific incidences of targeted violence to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U. S. Consulate General in Lagos at the numbers below.  U.S. citizens should maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance their personal security.”

Also, police authorities in Borno State said that members of the Boko Haram sect carried out the attacks to show that they were still relevant after their plans to bomb strategic places in Borno State were thwarted by the police.

This was just as the Nigerian Red Cross said that the death toll was expected to rise as the United Nations and the Pope have joined in the condemnation of the attack.

A spokesman for the Islamist armed group, using the name Abul-Qaqa, who spoke hours after witnesses reported “scenes of carnage” vowed that “more attacks are on the way.”

He said in an interview with newsmen: “We will continue attacking federal government formations until security forces stop their excesses on our members and vulnerable civilians.”

Suleimon Lawal, the police commissioner in Yobe State, told Al Jazeera a suicide bomber drove a vehicle apparently laden with explosives into a building. Lawal said the attack killed 53 people but he did not disclose how many among the casualties were security officials.

He said: “The explosives rocked the building and there were casualties. Two of the suicide bombers perished in the bomb.”

While insisting the group was not gaining an upper hand, Lawal vowed that it would be crushed. He said: “My strategy is a security strategy (that) I cannot disclose on air. So as they (Boko Haram) are not disclosing their security strategy, I don’t think it is safe for me to tell the whole world what I am doing.” The violence followed a series of attacks reported in the neighbouring cities of Maiduguri and Potiskum on Friday afternoon.

Spokesman of the Nigerian Red Cross, Ibrahim Bulama, said yesterday that “there’s that fear that something might possibly happen again,” even as he said the death toll is expected to rise as local clinics and hospitals tabulate the casualty figures from Friday’s attacks in Damaturu.

News agencies, quoting officials, said after the attack on the building, armed men went through Damaturu, blowing up a bank and attacking at least three police stations and five churches, leaving behind their rubbles. People began leaving their homes on Saturday morning, after seeing the destruction, which included military and police vehicles burnt by the armed men, with the charred corpses of the drivers.

Police inspector killed

The sect which is seeking the islamisation of Nigeria and in the interim, revenge for their slain leader and fighters, killed a police inspector in Maiduguri on Sunday. Gunmen, believed to be the sect’s fighters, stopped the officer’s car at gunpoint, as he came near a mosque to pray with his family, and ordered the family away before he was shot to death. Borno police commissioner, Simeon Midenda, who confirmed the incident, said the sect gunmen allowed the slain inspector’s family to drive the car away.

Police authorities in Borno State have said that members of Boko Haram sect were flexing muscles to show that they were still relevant after their plans to bomb strategic places in Borno State were thwarted following the major arrests made by the Police in the state.

Speaking over the phone with Vanguard, yesterday, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Simeon Midenda said the members of Boko Haram attacked JTF headquarters at Pomppomari ward of the metropolis out of frustration. Though Midenda said he could not speak for JTF, he, however, stated: “JTF is an outfit of its own.

But the issue is that these people did what they did out of frustration. They did it to show that they are still relevant after we swooped on their hideout and made arrests which helped in thwarting the major onslaught they earlier planned for the state.

In fact, we expected that they would react to show that they are still relevant. I don’t know why they decided to go to JTF.  It is not JTF that thwarted their plans, it is the police. I assure you that we are equal to the task and we remain undaunted in our pursuit for peace in Borno State.”

It will be recalled that few days to the Sallah Day celebrations, the Police in Borno arrested the ring leader of a notorious armed robbery gang after an operation in a first generation bank in Maiduguri.  The robbery gang killed a Police Corporal and made away with about N21.9 million. The arrest paid off as the ringleader confessed to the Police that he and his gang members’ mission was to raise funds for an operation to be carried out in Maiduguri during the Sallah Day.

The police commissioner explained that during a search conducted in the suspect’s house, one SMG Rifle (French made) with 104 rounds of live ammunition, empty ammunition chain, two Improvised Explosive Devices, otherwise called bombs made in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, two pairs of military uniform, three empty ammunition boxes, three gallons of highly inflammable ABRO liquid, were recovered.

He added that with this arrest and recovery, the Command has averted what could have been described as a major disaster that was to befall Maiduguri residents and mar peaceful celebration of the Sallah.