The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen kill Police Inspector, seven others in Borno

    Gunmen believed to be men of the radical Islamic extremist network Boko Haram on Monday night killed eight people including a police Inspector, in Borno State.

    The attack in Gwoza, a village in northeastern Borno state, saw fighters arrive in two trucks and open fire.

    A security official told The Associated Press that the Boko Haram gunmen killed seven civilians and a police inspectors. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly with journalists.

    Gwoza resident Umaru Yahuza said the fighters targeted a bank and the police station in the village.

    Boko Haram is waging a guerrilla campaign of shootings and bombings across northern Nigeria. The government has been unable to stop the attacks, despite deploying more police and soldiers.

     

  • Gunmen abduct six foreigners, demand $1.3m ransom

    Gunmen who stormed an oil service ship in Bayelsa have kidnapped six foreigners and demanded a $1.3 million ransom for their release, police told AFP.

    “Three of those abducted are from Ukraine, two from India one from Russia… One of the kidnappers called to demand the sum of 200 million naira (one million euros, $1.3 million) Bayelsa State police spokesman Fidelis Odunna said of the Sunday’s attack.

     

  • Gunmen kill pedestrian in Kano

    The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a pedestrian by gunmen at Na’ibawa area of Kano on Monday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    The command’s spokesman, ASP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incidence to NAN on Monday, saying that it took place around 8.00 p.m.

    According to him, some gunmen attacked a pharmaceutical shop at Na’iabawa and a passerby was shot dead while one was injured and taken to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.

    He, however, said that investigations had since begun and tight security had been enforced in the affected area with restricted movement of people.

    He added that the gunmen escaped while the police were trailing them, and promised that the command would not relent until the criminals were driven out of Kano.

    An eye witness told NAN that after completing the night’s prayers, the public heard gun shots which sent people scampering.

    “It was after the shootings that the police arrived the scene. A man was lying on the floor covered with blood and was taken away by the police to the hospital,” the witness who pleaded anonymity added.

     

  • Briton, Italian, five other foreigners kidnapped in Bauchi

    Gunmen kidnapped seven foreigners and killed a security guard when they stormed the compound of Lebanese construction company SETRACO in Bauchi Sunday  morning.

    Among those abducted were a Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers, including two women, Local Government Chairman Adamu Aliyu and security sources said.

    Bauchi Police Chief Mohammed Ladan said the gunmen attacked a police station and a prison overnight before storming the construction firm’s compound in Jama’are, a Bauchi state town.

    “We repelled the attack on the police station and the security men at the prison yard also repelled the attack, but they burnt two vehicles in Jama’are police station,” Ladan said.

    “They then attacked Setraco construction, killed a local security guard and they succeeded in kidnapping people,”  he said and declined to state the nationality of the victims.

    The Italian and Greek foreign ministries confirmed that one of their nationals was taken in the raid. A spokesman for the British Embassy in Abuja said it was investigating.

     

  • Gunmen kidnap teacher in Delta

    Gunmen yesterday kidnapped a teacher, Mrs. Esther Mukoro, at Ujevwu town along the ever busy Udu Road, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

    It was learnt that Mukoro, a teacher with Ovwian Secondary School, was in company of her friends on their way to a friend’s party at about 9:00am at Otor-Udu, headquarters of Udu Local Government Area, when the yet-to-be identified gunmen stopped her Toyota Highlander Jeep Car with plate number KPE 323 AA and ordered them to come out and later asked her (Mrs. Mukoro) into the car and drove off.

    Her husband, Mr. Taiye Mukoro,  said he was yet to reach the kidnappers and lamented that he does not know what his wife did to anyone that may have led to her being kidnapped, adding that he does not have money to give to kidnappers, appealing to them to release his wife.

  • Gunmen kill three farmers in Plateau

    Unidentified gunmen on Monday killed three persons on their farms at Kassa Village in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.

    The Special Task Force maintaining peace in the troubled state, said in a statement in Jos that two of the suspected attackers were however, gunned down by STF troops who swiftly rushed to the scene.

    The statement, signed by the Media Officer of the STF, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, said the attackers invaded the farm at about 8:00am and opened fire on the farmers.

    “The STF quickly responded to the distress call from some of the fleeing victims but on sighting the troops, the gunmen opened fire on them.

    “This led to a gun duel that resulted to the killing of two of the suspected attackers.

    “STF personnel also arrested four of the gunmen who were injured in the process, while three AK 47 rifles and a locally made rifle were recovered from them.

    “Also recovered were 45 rounds of 7.62 (special) and 31 other cartridges,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the STF media officer as saying in the statement.

    The statement also disclosed that gunmen on Saturday attacked some cows while grazing at Kassa area of Ropp in the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.

     

  • Gunmen kill female health workers in Kano

    Gunmen on tricycles on Friday killed nine female health workers conducting anti-polio vaccination in a twin attack.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Magaji Majiya, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano.

    Majiya said the attack took place around 9am on Friday in Kano metropolis.

    He said: “unknown gunmen riding tricycles carried out the twin attacks at Filin Cashew in Anguwa Uku and Hotoron Hayi Health Centres at the same time.’’

    He said seven of the victims were killed at Hotoro and two others at Anguwa Uku, and the police had deposited their corpses at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.

    The spokesman, however, said no arrest was made, but assured that investigation into the incident had commenced in earnest.

    Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Labaran Yusuf, has also confirmed the incident.

    Yusuf said six health workers were attacked at the Anguwa Uku Health Centre.

    According to him, two died on the spot and the remaining four who suffered severe injuries were hospitalised.

     

  • Gunmen kill two soldiers, naval personnel in Bayelsa

    Unknown gunmen on Tuesday attacked and killed two soldiers and one retired naval personnel in an ambush on Ekpelebiri-Angiama River, Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    Sources in the community told the News Agency of Nigeria that there was commotion as sound of gunfire between the gunmen and soldiers filled the air sending people in area scampering for safety.

    A civilian, identified as the driver of the motorised barge being used by the soldiers, was reportedly taken away as hostage by the gunmen.

    Media Coordinator of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in Yenagoa, Lt. Col Onyema Nwachukwu, said the soldiers were detailed to escort an oil barge belonging to Sterling Global Services Oil Company Limited.

    Nwachukwu told journalists on phone that two soldiers were killed in the attack.

    He said the gunmen ambushed the soldiers and opened fire on them.

    “I can confirm that some of our soldiers on board the barge belonging to Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited ran into an ambush along Angiama-Ekpelebiri waterways in Sagbama Local Government Area.

    “There was a shoot-out between the soldiers and the unknown gunmen.

    “Two of our men lost their lives and two other civilians sustained injures,’’ Nwachukwu said, adding that three of the unidentified gunmen also sustained gunshot injuries.

    He said the military outfit had deployed troops to the area and were on the trail of the gunmen.

     

  • Gunmen kill 2 in Gombe

    Unidentified gunmen on Friday shot dead two persons and injured a blind man in an attack in Hammadu Kafi area of Gombe township, Gombe State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that one of those killed was a prison warder.

    The injured blind man, popularly called Malam Ali, who was critically wounded in the attack, is now receiving treatment.

    A source said the killers arrived the house of the blind man in a black Honda Hala at about 3.20 pm and opened fire on the man who was chatting with one of his friends.

    The friend died instantly.

    The source said the prison officer, who was passing by the area, stopped to greet the blind man and his friend when the gunmen shot him.

    Contacted on phone, the Commissioner of Police in Gombe State, Mr Mohammed Sule, confirmed the incident.

    He said an investigation had been launched to get to the root cause of the killings.

    Sule said the blind man who was injured was at the hospital receiving treatment.

  • Gunmen attack Kano police station

    Gunmen with explosives attacked a police station outside the city of Kano, killing a policeman and a civilian, police said Thursday.

    “We lost a policeman in the attack and the body of a civilian was also found around the police station but it is still not clear if he was among the gunmen or a resident caught in crossfire,” Kano State police spokesman Magaji Majia told AFP.

    He said the attackers had stormed the police station in the town of Bunkure, 40 kilometres from Kano late Wednesday and engaged policemen in a shootout.

    The attackers hurled explosives into the police station which destroyed a section of the building, he said.

    Majia refused to say if the gunmen were from the Boko Haram sect blamed for scores of deadly attacks in northern part of the country.

    The attack came just days after a purported Boko Haram commander declared a ceasefire on behalf of the group, although there are doubts if he was speaking for the group which has various factions.