Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect yesterday attacked the Air Force Comprehensive Secondary School , Dawakin Tofa LGA of Kano State, killing four Air Force officers.
Also yesterday, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday ordered that Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume who is being tried for allegedly giving classified information to members of Boko Haram at Kuje Prisons, Abuja.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole who gave the order said Senator Ndume who is representing Borno South Senatorial District, be kept in the prisons till Monday when his bail application will be determined.
Menwhile, the school with a students’ population of 110 had been closed for the Christmas holidays before the gunmen struck. The Air Force said that two of its officers were wounded, although a doctor said that four personnel were actually killed. The Air Force confirmed that two of the attackers were also killed, bringing the death toll to about six.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that the gun men, numbering about 15, stormed the Air Force College at about 8.30pm and shot the four officers on guard while trying to secure entrance into the school.
The gunmen had earlier shot and seriously wounded a member of the Police Mobile Force who was allegedly trekking home from work and collected his rifle before the shootings at the Air Force school. Earlier reports said that the policeman was killed but it was later learnt that the hoodlums ‘’shot him in the chest’’ but he did not die.
The identities of the victims and their ranks were not immediately ascertained, although both the Air Force and police authorities in Kano have ruled out the involvement of Boko Haram as they launched comprehensive investigations on the matter.
”There was an attack on the Air Force Comprehensive School by unknown gunmen,” an official said on condition of anonymity of the incident late Thursday at the boarding school outside the city of Kano.
”Two of our officers have been injured and are receiving treatment in hospital.”
A doctor said on condition of anonymity that four air force personnel had been killed and another two wounded.
Police spokesman Magaji Majia initially said a police station had been attacked by gunmen late Thursday, leaving an officer wounded. He later amended his statement, saying an officer (Sergeant Alhassan Sefiyanu), had been shot and wounded on his way into work early yesterday.
“The police officer saw three men, who pretended to be in distress and in his attempt to assist them got shot by the suspects, who took to their heels immediately. So far no arrest has been made.”
Residents reported that gunfire also broke out in another area on the outskirts of Kano on Thursday night, and that a neighbourhood group raided a house and found audiotapes of Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the Islamic sect known as Boko Haram who was killed in 2009.
Another resident said he heard what sounded like a gun battle. The doctor said six air force personnel were brought to his hospital Thursday night with gunshot wounds. ”Three died on admission and another one died later,” he said. “The two others that have been critically injured are being treated.”
The secondary school was under heavy guard yesterday, while a series of other incidents also occurred in the area, including the shooting of a police officer.
The Commandant of 339 Base Services Group, BSG, Nigeria Air Force Kano, Air Commodore Sani Ahmed confirmed the incident saying, “We lost three of our officers at the Nigeria Air Force Comprehensive Secondary School at Kwa village in Kano.”
Vanguard Nigeria
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