|
Suspected
Islamic
militants have
detonated a bomb
at the police
station in Misau
Township 100 km
from Bauchi. The
bomb affected
one of the
branches of
Afribank in the
town.
Gunmen stormed a
police station
in northern
Nigeria on
Monday, set free
a number of
detainees and
torched the
building, though
it was unclear
if there were
casualties,
residents said.
Police had not
immediately
confirmed the
attack in Misau
in the northern
state of Bauchi,
repeatedly hit
by violence
blamed on the
Islamist sect
known as Boko
Haram, and did
not respond to
phone calls.
"Fire is still
burning on the
police station,
and the
attackers drove
into town
shooting into
the air,
apparently to
scare away
people, and
everybody ran
indoors,"
resident Muazu
Maimukulli said
by phone.
"A number of
suspects were
freed by the
attackers from
the police
station."
Two other
residents gave
similar
accounts.
One said the
attackers opened
fire on the
police station
with heavy
machine guns
that could be
heard throughout
the town before
freeing the
inmates,
stealing weapons
and setting the
building ablaze.
Meanwhile in Jos
, a popular
drinking joint
in the West
Mines area of
Plateau state
was hit with two
bomb explosion
on Sunday night
injuring one
person according
to eyewitnesses.
The second
explosion was
reported in the
same area about
an hour later.
The bomb attacks
followed renewed
sectarian
violence that
has claimed
several lives
after Christian
youths attacked
Muslims during
the Ramadan
season.
Boko Haram has
been blamed for
scores of bomb
blasts,
shootings and
attacks on
police stations,
mainly in
predominately
Muslim northern
Nigeria.
The group also
claimed
responsibility
for a bomb
attack on UN
headquarters in
Nigeria on
August 26 that
killed at least
23 people.
|
