Gunmen attack 2 LGs in Bauchi, kill 1 Set electoral materials ablaze
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SOME unknown gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram insurgent group, early Sunday morning, attacked Alkaleri and Kirfi local government areas of Bauchi State.
The gunmen, whose number could not be ascertained, were said to have arrived in the areas in about 10 Hilux vehicles fully armed and stormed many polling units in the areas, while they also destroyed electoral materials.
They thereafter attacked both the divisional police headquarters in Alkaleri and Kirfi, the headquarters of Alkaleri and Kirfi councils respectively.
An unconfirmed report said one person was killed during the attack, even as the attackers were said to have set the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) office in the areas ablaze.
A reliable source at the residence of the district head of Alkaleri informed newsmen that the attackers set election materials ablaze at the Central Primary School in Alkaleri, which was being used as collation centre for Saturday's elections.
“The gunmen stormed the town early morning of today and attacked Alkaleri divisional police station, INEC office and Central Primary School, which is the collation centre of Saturday's election in the council," he said.
According to him, the gunmen were shooting sporadically, adding that they were asking the people not to panic as they had no intention of harming anyone.
Confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, stated that the attack took place at about 12:25 a.m., saying that the gunmen were repelled and pursued towards Dindima on the Bauchi-Gombe road.
"Today (yesterday) at about 0025hrs, unspecified numbers of unknown gunmen in a convoy of over 10 vehicles stormed many polling units in Kirfi, Alkaleri LGA and destroyed many electoral materials.
"Hoodlums further attacked Kirfi and Alkaleri Divisional Police headquarters but were repelled and pursued towards Dindima town, along Bauchi Gombe Road," the police image maker said in a statement made available in Bauchi.
He informed that security operations were still ongoing, adding that the entire surroundings had been cordoned off by combined security forces, while effort was being intensified to restore normalcy in the areas.
In a related development, the PPRO informed that a group of gunmen in about six vehicles and two Boxer motorcycles on Saturday attacked Bagurun Primary School in Yautara ward of Darazo Local Government Area of the state at about 2.30 p.m., firing sporadic gunshots in the air while voting was going.
This, according to him, forced the electorate to scamper for safety, giving the attackers the opportunity to gather all electoral materials on display and set them ablaze before policemen and soldiers arrived to dislodge them.
He also informed that police detectives attached to Warji division of the state police command arrested a 24-year-old man, one Abdul Umar of Garina village at about 2.00 a.m with a locally made pistol.
He was sighted loitering around Katako ward and could not provide satisfactory account of himself.
"On the 28/3/2015 at about 1415hrs, police detectives attached to Soro division arrested one Abdullahi Samaila male and 30 yrs and Nasiru Adamu male and 35 yrs of Marga village in Soro town.
"Suspects were arrested with 29 PVCs at Marga Primary School polling unit, Kubi B' Ward of Ganjuwa LGA of Bauchi State," Mohammed informed.
