Gunmen kill 3 policemen, 2 others in Jigawa

It was a mild drama when the Jigawa state deputy governor and acting governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud; government officials and journalists were barred from the former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim’s country home in Ringim town that was attacked yesterday by unknown gunmen.

Meantime, the state government, weekend, said the unknown gunmen who attacked and killed five people in Ringim town were  robbers and not members of Ahlissunah Lidda Await Wal Jihad  known as  Boko Haram, as being speculated.

The incident where the deputy governor was stopped from assessing the former IG’s home occurred when he led the delegation for an assessment tour on the level of damage done during the Sunday attack.

The delegation went round the affected places to see things for itself but was halted by one of the ex-IG’s  house boys.

The unnamed house boy told the acting governor that he was instructed by his boss not to allow any government official  gain access to his home because it wasn’t a government building and that no journalist would be allowed to take any photograph. The team then turned back disappointed and headed towards the emir‘s palace.

Vanguard, however, observed that an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, stationed outside the former IG’s residence was burnt while part of the building was set ablaze by the gunmen.

The state’s acting governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud, said the gunmen were not Boko Haram sect members as people speculated, but robbers because their main target was the bank not the police station.

According to him, they intended to divert the attention of police first which was why they attacked the station. He called on the people of the town in particular and the state in general to continue to pray for peace and unity in the country.

Emir of Ringim, Dr. Sayyadi Abubakar Mahmud, commended the effort of the police in stopping the uproar from escalating and assured the residents that prayers would continue to be offered for peace and stability.

Two civilians,  3   policemen killed – Police

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State  Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Abdul Jinjiri, has confirmed that only five persons were killed made up of two civilians and three police officers, during the uproar.

Interestingly, the gunmen were said to have dismissed a group of kids who were reciting the Holy Quran in front of the police station before attacking it.



-- Vanguard