This is even as Christians in the North are expressing fears of likely attacks by terrorists on Easter Sunday.
The Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura, told journalists at a press conference in Kano that detectives had averted what would have been another tragedy as they intercepted an explosives-laden Volkswagen Golf car.
Items recovered from the car included rocket launchers, remote control devices, 14 hand grenades, eight AK 47 magazines and assault rifles, seven Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in Turkey oil containers, with remote controlled devices and 238 live ammunitions of different calibers.
Describing the discovery as remarkable, Daura said: “On Tuesday 26, March, 2013, at about 21.30 hours, our men, based on a tip-off, intercepted a Golf 3 car, with registration number AG 701 KTM at the outskirts of Kano.
“The occupants of the vehicle, on sighting a police patrol vehicle, opened fire, but our men responded swiftly which made them to abandon the vehicle and escaped into the bush.”
The police boss said that the fleeing suspects sustained gunshot injuries as blood stains littered the scene of the incident.
Daura said that on further scrutiny, the vehicle was found to contain four rolls of wire connector for suicide missions and 12 power sources, among other bomb making materials.
He said: “The intention of these hoodlums was to cause havoc and destabilize the peace of Kano State.”
Daura, however, said that security personnel had begun trailing the suspects.
He sought the support of members of the public by volunteering information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects and other criminals.
It will be recalled that some suicide bombers attacked a popular motor park in Kano city recently and killed no fewer than 60 people.
Meanwhile, four suspected members of the Boko Haram sect were killed yesterday by the police during a shootout in Gaidam, Yobe State.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman, Lt. Eli Lazarus, confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday in Damaturu, the state capital.
The statement reads: “The incident occurred yesterday around 5:00pm when suspected terrorists attacked JTF location in Gaidam town. The attack was repelled by the JTF and four of the gunmen lost their lives in the exchange of gun fire.
“Three AK47 rifles, five magazines and 72 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition were recovered from the insurgents.”
JTF, however, assured all law-abiding residents of its commitment to restoration of peace and security in the troubled state.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday held a closeddoor session with Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies.
The about six-hour session, which was meant to brief the Senate on the nation’s fragile security situation and the efforts made to address it, was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh and Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ekpenyong Ita.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Administration, Mr. Suleiman Fatai.
Though journalists were barred, National Mirror monitored the arrival of the Service Chiefs at about 10:30a.m and their departure at about 4:20p.m.
They were led out of the session by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi.
When the session was later thrown open, Senate President David Mark said: “The Senate, in an executive session, was briefed on the security problem in the country. Thereafter, the Service Chiefs took questions on the same subject- matter.”
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, however, announced that all items on the Order Paper would be stepped down till April 16, 2013 when lawmakers would reconvene after the Easter break.
The move also affected the motion scheduled on the death of the celebrated literary giant, Prof. Chinua Achebe.
The motion was sponsored by Senator Chris Ngige and 78 others.
Addressing journalists shortly after the session, the Senate spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed satisfaction with the efforts made so far by the Service Chiefs to tackle the deteriorating state of the nation’s insecurity.
Abaribe said: “The Senate devoted the plenary session to an interaction with the Service Chiefs and other heads of security agencies.
“We are satisfied with the efforts made so far. We are also calling on all Nigerians to cooperate with the security agencies in order to tackle the insecurity confronting the country as soon as possible.
“We promised that we were going to have regular interactions with the Service Chiefs and this is one of those interactions.”
On whether the Senate was favourably disposed to adopting alternative strategies to tackling the security challenges, Abaribe said: “Any other option is a policy decision that will be taken by the government.”
Abaribe declined to speak on the proposal by some northern elders for the Federal Government to grant amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect, saying, the Senate was only briefed and nothing more.
Post a Comment