Boko Haram Gunmen Kill Two Policemen, Injure One In Minna

MORE facts have emerged indicating that the killing of two policemen, an Inspector, Bala Maigida and a Sergeant, simply identified as Tanko, as well as the injuring of a corporal, all attached to the Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, the Niger State capital on Thursday evening, may have been carried out by the Boko Haram sect.

Two men on a motorcycle were said to have arrived at the gate of the estate at about 8pm pretending to be visitors and asked the policemen if they could go in to see someone. They were permitted by the policemen only for the one at the back of the motorcycle to open fire, killing two and leaving one critically injured.

After killing the policemen, the gunmen collected their rifles, abandoned their motorcycle and drove away in a BMW car parked beside the estate gate.

An eyewitness told The Guardian that the gunmen left behind some locally-made explosive devices which they had wanted to use to bomb a police post in the estate.

The killing of the policemen came barely two days after some gunmen opened fire and killed a police corporal in front of a police station at Maje village in Suleja Council on Wednesday.

The gunmen, who were on a motorcycle, opened fire on the policeman who was standing in front of the station, killing him instantly before speeding away. The police said some arrests have been made in connection with the Wednesday killing.

Some residents of the estate told The Guardian that they initially thought the shooting, which lasted for about three minutes, was a robbery attack and had to take cover in their rooms for fear of being hit by stray bullets.

The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Richard Ogwuche who confirmed the incident, said the command was yet get details of the attack, hence could not ascertain whether the attacks at both Maje and Minna were carried out by members the sect.

“We are yet to get details on how the gunmen attacked our men. Nobody is offering any information now; we pray that the injured corporal, who is now receiving treatment in a private hospital, will survive to give details of what actually happened,” he said.

He however ruled out armed robbery, saying: “We have not received any complaint that the gunmen robbed anybody, aside our men that were killed.

“When we arrived at the scene, we only met the lifeless bodies of the Inspector, the Sergeant and the injured on the floor, where they were killed, while a good Samaritan helped to rush the injured corporal to the hospital.”