Terrorists attack Buhari’s advance convoy in Katsina
…Gunshots at Kuje Prison in Abuja
Suspected terrorists have attacked the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State just as residents of Kuje Correctional Centre feared the prison might have been attacked having heard several gun shots in the area.
In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed the attack on Buhari’s advance convoy.
He explained that a convoy of cars carrying the advance team of security guards, as well as protocol and media officers ahead of the President’s trip to Daura for Sallah came under attack near Dutsinma in Katsina.
The attackers, according to Shehu, opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions, but they were repelled by operatives of the military, police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) accompanying the convoy.
He stated that two persons in the convoy who sustained minor injuries were receiving treatment while all other persons made it safely to Daura.
The attack on the President’s advance team is the latest in the series of criminal activities by the outlaws who have continued to terrorise communities in the North West and parts of the North-Central region of the country.
On Wednesday last week, bandits invaded a mining site at Ajata-Aboki in Gurmana Ward of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State where some persons were killed, and others abducted.
Thirteen policemen and civilians reportedly lost their lives to the incident while four Chinese nationals were among the victims said to have been kidnapped.
Amid reports that about 30 bodies of soldiers, who had responded to a distress call on the attack were recovered from the bush, the Nigerian Army authorities said “a number of personnel paid the supreme price in the fierce firefight that ensued.”
Meanwhile, there was anxiety amongst the residents of Kuje in Abuja following the repeated sounds of gunshots being heard in the area.
There were fears among residents that the Correctional Centre might have been under attack by armed men.
A resident of the area, Joshua Friday, told a National daily’s correspondent, not this Newspaper, that the shootings lasted for about 20 minutes.
He said the situation caused pandemonium in the vicinities of the Centre.
He said, “Currently in Kuje and the shooting has been going on for almost 20 minutes now. I can’t tell you what is happening whether it is a robbery or not, but we have been hearing that gunshots repeatedly around the area the prison is located. We are all scared as I speak to you.”
When contacted, the Spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar asked our correspondent to call him back.
Efforts to get the police spokesperson in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, proved abortive as calls to her line were not answered. She has also not responded to messages sent to her.
