• Gunmen Kill Two PDP Supporters, Rep Member Escapes
• Hoodlums Burn Jonathan’s Campaign Bus In Jos
BARELY one month to the February general elections, and two days after the Baga, Borno State terror incident that claimed about 2000 civilians, violence, rather than abate, is spreading beyond the insurgency-infested areas.
Two buses belonging to the President Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation were yesterday evening set ablaze by a mob along the Hausa-dominated Bauchi Road in Jos, the Jos North local Government Area of Plateau State capital.
The drivers of the buses were said to have driven recklessly into Mango Street area of Bauchi Road, where they nearly knocked down a lad, a development that angered the youths, who immediately mobilised and stopped the buses and set them ablaze. The drivers and other passengers, however, escaped unhurt.
Repeatedly chanting uncharitable songs against the President, the youth sang in Hausa language: ‘baama son Jonathan, sai Buhari;’ ‘meaning, we don’t want Jonathan, we want only Buhari.’
The situation has however been brought under control by security agents who quickly moved in to disperse the mob.
In the same vein, a bomb blast, yesterday, hit the Maiduguri Monday Market Chickens sheds, killing 20 people, including the suicide bomber. At least, 18 others sustained serious injuries in the suspected Boko Haram attack, which occurred at about 12.25pm. In Yobe State, gunmen in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and pickup vans laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) attacked Damaturu, the state capital, torching three police formations and a mosque. The well-coordinated attacks were carried out at about by 8 pm on Friday.
The torched police formations include the Police “A” Division, Police Area Command and the Police Officers’ mess, along with several shops at Damaturu Motor Park.
The attacks came just as unknown gunmen, Friday night, shot and killed two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Hope George and Friday Mbadee Onura, and injured the member representing Ogu/Bolo in the House of Representatives, Hon Bright Tamuno Gogo. Rivers State House of Assembly Candidate, Datorudimabo Adams, and the late George, who was the immediate past councilor of Okrika Local Government council, were attacked by the gunmen around Oroworoko area of Port Harcourt.
Yesterday’s suicide attack on Maiduguri market occurred as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the metropolis.
An eyewitness, Fantami Bukar, a chicken seller, said a disguised suicide bomber had sneaked into the market at about 12.15pm before detonating the explosives 10 minutes after. He said people started to run for safety in various directions, including the Post Office area, east of the blast scene.
“We were shocked when we heard the explosion, as some of us were preparing to go and collect our PVCs for next month’s general elections. I saw over a dozen people lying on ground, while five other bodies were dismembered, and scattered all over the market ground, before volunteers and officials of NEMA came to
evacuate the injured ones to hospital by 1pm,” said Bukar.
The total number of people killed, could not be ascertained as at the time of filling this report, because there was no official confirmation from either the military or police.
A shop owner at the Post Office Area disclosed that a suspected bomber was arrested in the market on Friday, after he attempted to detonate an explosive.
A police source confirmed that “several people were killed and injured in the market blast. The IED was detonated by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. Their motive was to continue
terrorising innocent people to frustrate the ongoing distribution of PVCs by INEC. This blast could prevent eligible voters from coming out to collect their voter cards.”
Spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Abdulkadir, also confirmed the attack, but said the Agency was yet to ascertain the extent of damage, as the rescue team was shuttling between the market and hospital.
Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Gideon Jibrin, in a text message (SMS) to The Guardian yesterday, said: “20 people were killed, including the suspect, while 18 were seriously injured and are now receiving treatment at some undisclosed hospitals in Maiduguri.”
Meanwhile, an atmosphere of fear might discourage voters from coming out to cast their votes next month in Rivers State. This follows the spate of clashes between supporters of the All Progressives Congress and the PDP in the state.
There is growing fear that except the Police and other security agents strengthen security and show commitment to neutrality, the 2015 general elections might be marred by unprecedented violence.
Media aide to the Rivers State PDP chairman, Jerry Needam, in a statement yesterday, claimed the victims were on their way to attend the governorship rally of the PDP in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, when the tragic incident took place. According to him, another PDP stalwart, Onura, was shot dead on Friday while others are in critical condition in various hospitals following gunshot wounds they sustained during the attack.
A member of the federal lawmaker’s family, who pleaded anonymity, said he sustained serious injury during the attack but that he was in a stable condition. According to the source, the lawmaker is traumatised by the killing of his political associate. Efforts to reach the Police proved abortive.
The PDP, which was accused by the APC of being behind the attacks on its members at both Tai and Degema councils last Tuesday, in turn, blamed the air of insecurity trailing the general elections in Rivers State on the APC.
“The PDP calls on the State Commissioner of Police to investigate the APC over killings and shootings of its members in Rivers State. The PDP condemns in strong terms the killings and shootings of its members and appeal to members of the party and Rivers people to remain calm in the face of provocations by members of the APC,” he said.
On his part, Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, has warned that resort to violence by the PDP will not save it from being disgraced during next month’s general elections.
“We wish to strongly condemn this resort to violence by the drowning PDP, which, despite all our entreaties, has failed to see that politics is not war but a democratic way of allowing the people to voluntarily choose their leaders. It is unfortunate that, rather than heed our previous advice to honourably withdraw from the governorship election to avoid being disgraced, PDP leaders prefer to unleash violence on APC faithful.”
Last Tuesday, some APC supporters were reportedly attacked by armed robbers, according to the Police, on their way to the official flag-off of the Muhammadu Buhari presidential campaign in Port Harcourt. The attackers, who the APC said were masked thugs, not armed robbers, had reportedly opened fire on the party supporters as they made their way to the venue of the APC rally.
Source: Guardian
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