The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Eight killed

  • Eight killed in resumed Ebonyi boundary crisis

    The police in Ebonyi State have confirmed the death of eight persons in a resumed boundary dispute between two communities.

    Six of the victims, said to be from the same family, were burnt to death in the bus they were travelling in while the other two died as a result of bullet wounds. The victims also included a three-month old baby.

    Police spokesperson Loveth Odah said the incident happened on Saturday on the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike, Road.

    According to her, one of the victims was a wife of a police officer serving in the state but on secondment to Bornu State to fight insurgency.

    She said: “It is a longstanding dispute between Ndiagu Alike community in Ikwo council and Enyibichiri community in Abakaliki council which erupted on Saturday.

    “A vehicle was seen burning on the road, allegedly set ablaze by warriors from one of the communities. The victims were coming from Abakaliki where they attended the matriculation of their son. Five of them were from the same family, including a little baby and their neighbour. They were burnt to ashes.

    “The driver, on sighting the gun-wielding warriors, tried to turn the car but drove the car into a ditch in haste. The gunmen opened fire on the car and some bullets punctured the fuel tank and it caught fire, killing the six occupants.

    “Three other persons were also attacked and two of them were killed. One of them, a woman, was the wife of a police officer deployed in Bornu state.”

    Commissioner for Border Peace and Internal Security Dr Kenneth Ugbala said occupants of other cars behind the bus were also injured by stray bullets.

    “They are receiving treatment at the hospital in Abakaliki,” he said.

    Ugbala said the government has deployed more security operatives in the area to restore normalcy.

    “The Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe, will soon visit the area to ascertain the level of damage,” he added.

    Ndiagu Alike and Enyibichiri have been having intractable land tussle for decades. Efforts to settle the dispute by successive administrations have been unsuccessful.

  • Eight killed in Borno attack

    A male suicide bomber yesterday killed seven worshipers observing their morning prayers in a mosque in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

    Head of the Vigilance Group, Ali Kolo, who confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said seven other persons, including a child, sustained injuries.

    He said: “It is not clear how the bomber infiltrated the town and attacked the mosque. The building collapsed during the explosion and the victims were evacuated from the rubble.”

    Head, Rescue Team, Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Bello Dambatta, confirmed the attack.

    He said the injured had been taken to Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, for treatment.

    But the police said eight persons were killed.

    A statement by the spokesman, Edet Okon, said seven sustained injuries.

    According to him, a suspected male suicide bomber detonated his Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the early morning congregational prayer at Goni Modu Lashibe Mosque in Konduga.

    The statement reads: “Today July 23 (yesterday), about 04:55am, a suspected male suicide bomber detonated his IED in Goni Modu Lashibe Mosque in Konduga, killing himself and seven worshippers.

    “Seven others were injured and rushed to Konduga General Hospital for treatment. The bodies have been evacuated to the mortuary, and the scene of the incident sanitised by a team from the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD).”

  • Eight killed as gunmen invade Rivers community

    Eight killed as gunmen invade Rivers community

    •Council chief bans Okada 

    GUNMEN suspected to be members of rival cult groups, on Sunday night, killed eight persons at Omoku Town in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State.
    The bandits reportedly invaded the community at 9 pm and killed their targets.
    The suspected cultists were said to have coordinated their attacks in three streets.
    A source, who spoke in confidence, said most of those who fled before the attack, had returned.
    A resident, who narrowly escaped the attack, Chief Ezegohuru Chukudi Eluozo, said the incident caused panic and grounded Christmas celebration in the town.
    Eluozo said eight people died in the incident.
    The community leader blamed the attack on politicians.
    He said the attack was politically motivated, adding that cultists were empowered by a political party during the recent rerun.
    Another source, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “About  9 pm, I was sitting with a friend when we heard gunshots. As usual, people started running for safety. I ran into them as I was heading for my house.
    “They (attackers) put on military uniform and were heavily armed. They shot from every direction. All those who came out that night to celebrate Christmas ran back to their houses.
    “In the morning, I took a walk round the area and I confirmed seven bodies. Two Hausa men, who may have been hit by stray bullets, were among the dead. A member of the Joint Security Task Force was among them.
    “We don’t know the actual cause of the attack, but we heard the cult boys were angry that the state government settled a cult group and abandoned the others. They vowed not to stop the attacks until the government compensated them.”
    But the police command said it was not aware of the incident.
    Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said he would speak whenever he got the brief from the district police officer (DPO) in ONELGA.
    Also, ONELGA Caretaker Committee Chairman Osi Olisa has banned commercial motorcycle operation, locally called Okada, in the area.
    In a statement, the caretaker chairman advised operators to desist from commercial activities between 7 pm and 7 am
    The statement noted that the action of the ONELGA council chief became necessary because of the security situation in the area.
    The statement warned that anybody violating the ban will be penalised.

  • Eight killed in Maiduguri explosions

    Eight killed in Maiduguri explosions

    No fewer than eight people died in two explosions in Maiduguri yesterday, eyewitnesses said.

    The explosions which were targeted at the densely populated Baga Fish  Market in the Borno State capital, however did not occur in the heart of the market.

    A source told our correspondent on telephone that the first explosion went off at about 3.30pm near the office of the Borno State Fish Sellers Association at the entrance to the market when the Asr prayer was in progress. The other explosion occurred near BEWAC company on Baga road.

    They were believed to have been carried out by female suicide bombers.

    An eye witnesse, Mallam Hassan  Ibrahim, whose shop is near the blast scene said he counted seven bodies at the spot. Many people were injured.

    He said: “When  people were praying the suicide bomber  detonated the IEDs  near the office of the Fish Sellers.

    “We rushed to the scene because my shop is near the area. I counted seven bodies. Many others were shouting in pains.

    Two ambulance cars came to evacuate the victims to the hospital. I cannot tell you exactly which hospital they were taken to. It was a terrible sight to behold,” Ibrahim said.

    There were however conflicting reports as to whether it was a suicide bomb attack or otherwise.

    Tanimu Saliu, a members of civilian JTF, said the bomb was planted and not a suicide bombing as claimed. He said: “Another IEDs exploded at BEWAC where it killed the suicide bomber alone.”

    A source who does not want his name mentioned told our correspondent on telephone that the blast killed a senior member of his church with his son who were at Baga Market to buy foodstuff for the family.