•Yero condemns attacks
•Govt to pay survivors’ hospital bills
Unknown gunmen have killed four policemen and an unidentified person in two attacks on a Divisional Police Station in Kajuru, the headquarters of Kajuru Local Government Area, and in Nungu community, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State reports The Nation.
It was learnt that three policemen died in the attack in Kajuru. Two others, including a police officer, died in the Nungu attack.
The gunmen were said to have arrived in Kajuru at 11.30pm. They reportedly attacked the police station and freed the detainees.
Two of the policemen on duty were reportedly killed. The third, a policewoman, died on the way to the hospital.
Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero has condemned the attacks.
He urged security operatives to fish out the perpetrators.
The governor described the attacks as unfortunate.
He assured the residents of his administration’s readiness to tackle criminals.
Yero urged the people to remain calm, assuring them that the government was equipping security agencies to secure the lives and property of the people.
In a statement yesterday in Kaduna by his spokesman, Ahmed Maiyaki, the governor sympathised with the police command and the residents on the attacks.
He said: “This ugly trend has to stop. We are committed to bringing the perpetrators of the attacks to book by all means possible.”
Yero condoled with the families of the policemen, saying: “At such sad moments, our hearts and prayers are with the immediate families of those that died in the ugly incident. We pray that Almighty God repose their souls and give their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
The governor promised to pay the bills of those receiving treatment at St. Gerald’s Catholic Hospital in Kaduna.
One of the surviving policemen, who spoke in confidence, told reporters that the gunmen stormed the station in several vehicles and started shooting.
He said: “We were not many; we couldn’t stand their sophisticated weapons. They killed three of our colleagues, including an Inspector and a Sergeant. Three of our colleagues sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital in Kaduna. A female police officer died on the way to the hospital.
“They (the gunmen) came around 11:30pm yesterday (Monday) and they operated for about an hour. It was the mobile policemen from various locations that saved the situation. Otherwise, the gunmen would have also attacked the other residents.
“If not for the intervention of the mobile policemen, the situation could have been hellish for the residents. They were many. They came in several vehicles. They released all the detainees in the cell. Some of us immediately removed our uniform and pretended to be among the suspects in the cell. That was how we survived. Others managed to escape into the bush.”
Police spokesman, Aminu Lawan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the attack.
He said the command was investigating the incident and that its details would be made public later.
In a telephone chat with our reporter, Lawan said: “We are still assessing the details. We will let you know when we are through.”
There had been rumours of an anonymous letter sent to the police command in which they allegedly threatened to attack places like Sabon-Tasha, in the Southern Kaduna and other communities in the area.
