BOKO HARAM 16 MORE DIE AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN YOLA TODAY « posted : January 08, 2012, 05:03:19 PM (4 hrs ago) » |
ANOTHER church service was brutally terminated in Yola, Adamawa State, on Friday night after suspected Boko Haram members marched into the Christ Apostolic Church, Jimeta, spraying worshippers with bullets.
At least 16 lay dead after the attack.Three persons were killed in a nearby salon also by suspected Boko Haram members while two were killed in Maiduguri.
It came just 24 hours after members of the sect killed eight and injured 19 in a similar fashion at the Deeper Life Bible Church in Gombe.
Victims of the Yola mayhem include the Pastor in charge of the church, simply called Moses, and his son.
The pastor's wife is battling for survival having been critically injured.
More than 30 worshippers were injured with six in the emergency ward of the State's Specialist Hospital in Yola.
Some youths turned their anger on the Adamawa State Police Commissioner, Mr. Shinaba Adenrele and almost killed him.
He was however rushed to nearly hospital for treatment by policemen.
The State government has imposed a 24-hour dusk to dawn curfew on the state capital to enable it take stock of the situation and restore normalcy.
Angry youths protesting the killings, barricaded some streets in Yola.The protests were said to be spreading to Numan and Lamorde in the state.
It was gathered that nine members of Boko Haram stormed the CAC church on Church Road in Yola on three motor-cycles and opened fire on the worshippers.
They struck mid way into the service at about 7pm.
A source said: “They came while the service was in progress and shot at the worshippers beginning from the altar.
“They killed the Pastor, his son and 14 others. More than 30 people were injured but six were critically wounded and they are being treated at the State Specialist Hospital in Yola.
“The corpses of those killed have also been deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.
“The situation has become tensed in the state capital with angry youths mounting barricade leading to the Lutheran Christian Church along the same Church Road.
“We have just heard of riots breaking out in Numan and Lamorde over the dastardly killing of these 16 innocent people.
“The pastor, who was killed with his son, hailed from Numan. There are fears of reprisals in some parts of the state.”
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kobis Ari, on Gotel Radio announced a 24-hour curfew.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shinaba Adenrele, escaped being killed by angry youths when he visited the CAC church at about 10am yesterday.
The Police Commissioner, who spoke with The Nation on the phone after First Aid treatment, said: “Well, I thank God for sparing my life. What happened was that 12 members of the CAC Church were killed by suspected gunmen on Friday night. Four of them were injured but they are responding to treatment at the State Specialist Hospital.
“Members of the church were about ending their service when these gunmen struck and killed these innocent people. But upon getting there and while I was addressing the crowd, one of the angry youths took a big stone and hit my chest leaving me sprawling. He attacked me despite the fact that I was in uniform.
“Even while being rushed to the hospital, I managed to prevail on my men not to open fire in order not to compound the security situation.
“I have recovered after treatment at the hospital. The governor has imposed a 24-hour curfew because Christians said they are going to retaliate.
“The 24-hour curfew is subject to review by the governor depending on the security situation in the state.”
At a nearby beauty salon, at least three others were killed in a similar attack.
"Three gunmen with their faces covered with black cloth burst into my salon and started shooting at customers, chanting, 'God is great, God is great,'" said Stephen Tizhe, 35.
The violence comes ahead of a planned gubernatorial election later this month.
Also on Friday night, gunmen set two banks ablaze with petrol bombs in Potiskum, Yobe State, starting a gunfight with police that lasted three hours, the police commissioner Tanko Lawan said. At least two people were killed in the fight, he said.
Similarly, sect gunmen yesterday shot and killed two Christian students of the University of Maiduguri, the police commissioner Simeon Midenda said.
No arrests have been made in any of the attacks, authorities said.
In a statement Friday a Boko Haram spokesman using the nom de guerre Abul-Qaqa claimed responsibility for the attacks in Gombe and Mubi.
"We want to prove to the federal government of Nigeria that we can always change our tactics," the spokesman said.
At least 16 lay dead after the attack.Three persons were killed in a nearby salon also by suspected Boko Haram members while two were killed in Maiduguri.
It came just 24 hours after members of the sect killed eight and injured 19 in a similar fashion at the Deeper Life Bible Church in Gombe.
Victims of the Yola mayhem include the Pastor in charge of the church, simply called Moses, and his son.
The pastor's wife is battling for survival having been critically injured.
More than 30 worshippers were injured with six in the emergency ward of the State's Specialist Hospital in Yola.
Some youths turned their anger on the Adamawa State Police Commissioner, Mr. Shinaba Adenrele and almost killed him.
He was however rushed to nearly hospital for treatment by policemen.
The State government has imposed a 24-hour dusk to dawn curfew on the state capital to enable it take stock of the situation and restore normalcy.
Angry youths protesting the killings, barricaded some streets in Yola.The protests were said to be spreading to Numan and Lamorde in the state.
It was gathered that nine members of Boko Haram stormed the CAC church on Church Road in Yola on three motor-cycles and opened fire on the worshippers.
They struck mid way into the service at about 7pm.
A source said: “They came while the service was in progress and shot at the worshippers beginning from the altar.
“They killed the Pastor, his son and 14 others. More than 30 people were injured but six were critically wounded and they are being treated at the State Specialist Hospital in Yola.
“The corpses of those killed have also been deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.
“The situation has become tensed in the state capital with angry youths mounting barricade leading to the Lutheran Christian Church along the same Church Road.
“We have just heard of riots breaking out in Numan and Lamorde over the dastardly killing of these 16 innocent people.
“The pastor, who was killed with his son, hailed from Numan. There are fears of reprisals in some parts of the state.”
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kobis Ari, on Gotel Radio announced a 24-hour curfew.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shinaba Adenrele, escaped being killed by angry youths when he visited the CAC church at about 10am yesterday.
The Police Commissioner, who spoke with The Nation on the phone after First Aid treatment, said: “Well, I thank God for sparing my life. What happened was that 12 members of the CAC Church were killed by suspected gunmen on Friday night. Four of them were injured but they are responding to treatment at the State Specialist Hospital.
“Members of the church were about ending their service when these gunmen struck and killed these innocent people. But upon getting there and while I was addressing the crowd, one of the angry youths took a big stone and hit my chest leaving me sprawling. He attacked me despite the fact that I was in uniform.
“Even while being rushed to the hospital, I managed to prevail on my men not to open fire in order not to compound the security situation.
“I have recovered after treatment at the hospital. The governor has imposed a 24-hour curfew because Christians said they are going to retaliate.
“The 24-hour curfew is subject to review by the governor depending on the security situation in the state.”
At a nearby beauty salon, at least three others were killed in a similar attack.
"Three gunmen with their faces covered with black cloth burst into my salon and started shooting at customers, chanting, 'God is great, God is great,'" said Stephen Tizhe, 35.
The violence comes ahead of a planned gubernatorial election later this month.
Also on Friday night, gunmen set two banks ablaze with petrol bombs in Potiskum, Yobe State, starting a gunfight with police that lasted three hours, the police commissioner Tanko Lawan said. At least two people were killed in the fight, he said.
Similarly, sect gunmen yesterday shot and killed two Christian students of the University of Maiduguri, the police commissioner Simeon Midenda said.
No arrests have been made in any of the attacks, authorities said.
In a statement Friday a Boko Haram spokesman using the nom de guerre Abul-Qaqa claimed responsibility for the attacks in Gombe and Mubi.
"We want to prove to the federal government of Nigeria that we can always change our tactics," the spokesman said.
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