Forty gunmen suspected to be terrorists in the early
hours of Monday stormed the office of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abuja,
where Boko Haram suspects were being held.
Two policemen and one of the gunmen were killed in the
incident, the first of its kind in the Federal Capital Territory which had in
the past recorded three bomb blasts.
The blasts were on October 1, 2010; June 16, 2011; and
August 26, 2011.
At least 30 detainees, including some Boko Haram members,
were said to have escaped during the Monday attack on the detention facility.
But the police denied that terror suspects were among the
escapees. They also said that 25 of the 30 detainees had so far been rearrested.
The attack occurred barely 24 hours after twin car bomb
blasts at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State.
The army authorities had on Friday declared 19 Boko Haram
leaders wanted and offered rewards of between N50m and N10m for information
that could lead to their capture.
A source in the police told one of our correspondents
that the surprise attack on the detention facility, located around Abattoir,
Garki in Abuja was carried out around 2am.
It lasted for some minutes during which heavy weapons
were allegedly used by the gunmen.
The senior police officer put the number of the attackers
at about 40. “The attackers numbering about 40 came from the bush and attempted
to overrun the facility but the valiant policemen on duty repelled them.” the
source said.
According to him, one of the attackers was killed and two
others arrested.
A mobile police officer, whose name could not be
immediately ascertained and a police Inspector, Fakat Zaremi, were killed
during the exchange of gunfire.
Emmanuel Domsing, a lawyer, said he was informed early in
the morning that his brother, Zaremi, was killed by the gunmen.
He said, “I was called that my elder brother was killed
during the attack, but information is scanty on what actually transpired; the
family is waiting for a formal report from the police.”
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, visited
the facility around 1pm on Monday. He was briefed by the SARS Commander and the
Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Ade Shinaba.
Abubakar, then ordered a high-powered panel headed by a
Senior Police Officer to investigate the circumstances surrounding the
incident.
Some senior military officers were also said to have paid
visits to the facility to commiserate with the police on the attack.
When one of our correspondents visited the detention
facility, security around the complex was tight as armed policemen turned back
all visitors.
A photojournalist with Daily Independent, Jide Oyekunle,
was arrested and detained by the police for attempting to take pictures of the
SARS office after the invasion by the gunmen.
Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in a
statement said that about 30 suspects had broken out of their cells and
attempted to escape but that 25 of them were rearrested through “tactical and
coordinated efforts.”
He said, “In the early hours of today, November 26, 2012,
gunmen in large number attacked the premises of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command. Policemen on duty responded
swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a gunfire that lasted for some minutes, at
the end of which the gunmen were successfully repelled.
“However, in the confusion that ensued, about 30 suspects
in the detention facility of SARS broke out of the cells and attempted to
escape. Tactical and coordinated efforts to re-arrest the fleeing suspects
yielded instant result. So far, 25 of the suspects have been rearrested, while
five suspects originally held in relation to robbery are currently at large.
“Two policemen died during the operation while two of the
attackers have been arrested. It needs to be emphasised here that no suspect
held for terror- related charges, escaped from SARS detention facilities. No
explosives or IED-related materials were used in the botched attack.
“Meanwhile, the IG has personally visited the scene of
the incident to assess the situation and has ordered water-tight security
around all government and Police-related facilities nationwide.”
The police appealed for calm and assured the public of
their preparedness to protect lives and properties.
After the attack, security, which had been relaxed in
Abuja following a reduction in bombings was hurriedly beefed up.
At the Villa Junction, near the Federal Secretariat,
about 10 soldiers were seen by our correspondent checking vehicles plying the
area.
Also, many of the gates which were previously manned by
non-uniformed security personnel, were guarded by policemen.
Policemen guarding the force headquarters were also on
the alert as they thoroughly searched visitors.
Security was also beefed up at the airport road, where
soldiers searched vehicles.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika,
last Thursday had said that inter-agency collaboration helped security agencies
to foil a terror attack in the country recently.
The COAS, who visited the Force Headquarters in Abuja,
said,”Within the last one week, we have recovered nothing less than 30 assorted
weapons; we have recovered money hidden in the engine compartment of vehicles
by these terrorists.
“We have recovered both vehicles prepared for bombing and
attacks. So I want to tell you that the military and police are very
professional.”
