The late Enenche Akogwu
•Channel TV’s reporter among victims
•24-hr curfew imposed
Scores of people died in the blasts, one of the victims being Channels Television's cameraman in the city, Enenche Akogwu. Many other residents were injured.
The State Government immediately imposed a 24-hour curfew on the state.
A report said up to eight explosives went off one after the other and bore similarities to earlier attacks by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in Maiduguri, Damaturu, Potiskum, Gombe,Abuja and Madalla, Niger State.
Their main targets were the State Security Service (SSS) office at Sardauna Crescent,Zone 1 headquarters of the police, the State Police Command at Bompai, the Fegge, Farm Centre, Naibawa and Jedijedi police stations as well as a motor park on New Road,SabonGari and the Immigration office at Farm Centre.
The attack at the Zone 1 office was suspected to have been carried out by a suicide bomber who crashed into a nearby compound in his explosive-laden car.
The invaders were repelled at the SSS office and the Customs Training School by officers who engaged them in a gun battle,killing several of them. .
A top source said: “Preliminary report indicated that the suicide bomber in a Honda Civic Car, a fairly used vehicle, had crashed into the gates of a vocational training centre which is not far-away from the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of the zone.
“I think their target was the Zonal AIG’s office but they could not breakthrough the water-tight security.
“The impact of the suicide bombing however affected many structures within the complex. The Zone 1 Police Station was completely burnt. Many residential houses were razed too. The AIG’s residence is said to be within the complex.
“While security agencies were grappling with the situation at the Zonal headquarters, simultaneous explosions were recorded in many places in the city.”
Yesterday’s attack sparked commotion across the city with panic-stricken motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians scampering for their lives.
The assailants were said to be mainly teenagers who launched their commando style invasion at about 5pm.They rode on motorcycles .
They first struck at the Immigration Office, Farm centre,throwing a bomb into the compound.They then proceeded to shoot three Immigration officers dead.The bomb destroyed six vehicles parked in the complex.
From there they moved to the nearby police Station giving the men and officers there no chance to escape.The number of casualties there was not immediately known.
The situation appeared to have been brought under control by soldiers who were drafted there.The assailants ,on sighting the Armoured Personnel Carrier (ACP) brought by the soldiers took to their heels only to regroup elsewhere throwing bombs and shooting at the same time.
Many fell in the process.
An example was Channels TV’s Akogwu.
Our reporter,Kolade Adeyemi who was with Akogwu,31,up to the last seconds writes:
“We were at Government House when the bombs began to rain.We quickly left to go and find out what was happening.But as we approached the Farm Centre police station,some residents warned us to turn back.We parked our car while Akogwu got down with his camera to record the unfolding scene.
“Within a few seconds he was out of sight with gun shots renting the air.Soon,some soldiers came around .The gun shots then subsided.I called Akogwu’s two lines which kept ringing but there was no response from him.I then tried to go and locate him only to find him in a pool of blood having been shot on the chest.He died on the spot.
“Earlier in the day,we had both had an interview with the Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.”
The streets were deserted last night while armed soldiers patrolled the streets.
The blast at the Police Zonal office tore away the building's roof and blew out the windows.
"Scary," was the description given the attack by Yushau Shuaib,spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
"Multiple explosions at different spots targeting security agencies in Kano today,"he said in a text message,adding :"Rescue workers evacuating victims to hospitals."
Spokesman for Boko Haram,Abdu Qaqa said last night that the sect was behind the coordinated attacks because the state government refused to release its members who were arrested for alleged robbery.
The police could not be reached for comments.
But a top military officer said: “We have been directed to secure vital installations which are the targets of the members of the sect.
“Some soldiers and Air Force personnel have been drafted out on 24-hour patrol of the city.”
An official of the National Emergency Management Agency,Mr.Abubakar Jibril said officials of the agency could not reach the scenes of the blasts because they were stopped by security forces.
A cloud of smoke descended on the city on account of the explosions.
The Federal Government recently declared a state of emergency in parts of the country in a bid to curtail the menace of the group,which on Christmas Day bombed St.Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, near Abuja.Over 40 worshippers abd passers by died in that incident.
In a video released last week, Imam Abubakar Shekau, a Boko Haram leader, said the government could not handle attacks by the group.
Also recently,President Goodluck Jonathan said he believed the sect has infiltrated security agencies and government offices in the country, though he has offered no evidence to back up the claim.
SOURCES , the nation news
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