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Original Post Date: 2010-09-22 Time: 15:00:04 Posted By: News Poster
Lagos – Two weeks ago, Boko Haram struck again. The fundamentalist group attacked Bauchi prisons and set all its inmates free, killing and maiming in the process. Segun Awofadeju writes that, days after the attack, the people of Bauchi are still counting their losses
For the residents of Bauchi metropolis, September 7, 2010 was a black Tuesday. Four people; a soldier, a policeman and two civilians were confirmed dead in the aftermath of a prison break by members of the dreaded Islamic fundamentalists group, Boko Haram. As a result of the jailbreak, six others were taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) with various degrees of injury.
Members of the sect had stormed Bauchi prisons with the intention of setting free some members awaiting trial for the part they played in last year’s religious crisis, which claimed many lives and property worth several millions of Naira. THISDAY investigations reveal that the Bauchi prison which has capacity for only 500 inmates was home to 759 inmates at the time of the jailbreak. And, all the 759 inmates were set free, including the 123 Boko-Haram members awaiting trial.
A reliable Source close to the Police disclosed that the over 300 members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect who broke into the prisons were armed to the teeth with AK45 rifles, locally made bombs and explosives. According to him, “Honestly, there were serious security lapses on the part of our security agents because security intelligence reports have it that these Boko Haram people had been in town for about a week before the attack was carried out. This is no longer a secret. But authorities refused to take appropriate steps to arrest the situation”.
The day after the attack, visitors were shocked by what they saw. The grounds around the prison were littered with bullet casings. Leaflets were also found in the area declaring in Hausa language that, “This holy work was made possible by Allah’s grace, under the auspices of your mujahideen brethren.”
Police Anti Bomb Squad from Plateau state Police Command were also on hand on Wednesday to examine an unexploded gas cylinder at the scene just as some residents around the scene of the ‘war’ told THISDAY that they heard what sounded like blasts, confirming that home made explosives may have been used in the attack.
The front gate to the prison complex was blackened by fire and a prison guard told reporters that the attackers had set part of the facility ablaze, especially the office housing documents of inmates as well as other vital official materials._
Though, the situation has now been brought under control, our correspondent reports that while the assault lasted, there was palpable tension and pandemonium as people around the Emir drive, Bakaro, Karofin Madaki, Kobi and Railways areas ran for cover from stray bullets as the fundamentalists were said to be shooting sporadically while their bullets were hitting innocent people who did not suspect anything as they prepared to break their fasts.
Reacting to the incident, the Bauchi State Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda described the incident as “most unfortunate, regrettable and security surprise.” Yuguda, who was the first caller at the Prison, lamented the incident saying that, “all of us were caught unawares by the attackers because they came at the time nobody was expecting considering that we are in the holy month of Ramadan when _all true Muslims are expected to be fasting and not engage in anything that will lead to the shedding of blood.”
The Governor pledged that henceforth, adequate security measures will be put in place across the state in order to ensure safety of lives and property of innocent citizens of the state saying, “government will prioritise the issue of in the state to ensure that innocent lives are not lost again as well as to check the activities of all criminals in the state.”
Yuguda, who was visibly shaken by the attack, lamented that the attackers orchestrated their operation in a commando like manner beating every security arrangement put in place at the prisons. He however assured law-abiding citizens that anybody found to be _involved in the attacks in whichever manner no matter his or her status either in government or in the society will be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.”
Confirming the attack to news men in his office, Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Danlami Yar’adua said that, “As I am talking to you, the attackers killed one Soldier, one Policeman and two civilians who were hit by stray bullets. Two Prison warders, two civilians and four others are presently receiving treatment following the attack.”_
The Police Commissioner however said that from records available, 759 inmates of the prisons were released, including 123 Boko Haram sect members awaiting trial following their arrest last year after the sect attacked Police formations _in Bauchi. He added that as at the time of the briefing, ten Boko Haram suspects have returned to the prisons on their own, saying that this was in addition to other prisoners who had escaped Tuesday night._
Yar’adua disclosed that investigations have commenced into the jailbreak while quite a number of those who had hands in the attack have already been arrested adding that, “searches are on to get others but we will not disclose what we are doing now. At the appropriate time, we will brief you on the latest development but for now the situation is under firm control.”_
While assessing the extent of the damage done to the prison facilities, the Comptroller General of Prisons, Olusola Adigun Ogundipe, (mni), who was in Bauchi, described the attack as most unfortunate saying that it was a surprise package by the attackers who he said overpowered the armed squad of the Prison Service around, gaining entrance into the main prison yard forcefully after breaking the doors._
Ogundipe lamented that as at the time it was broken into, the Bauchi prisons which has capacity for only 500 inmates, had a total of 759 inmates. He said all of them were set free, pointing out however that as at the time he visited the prison, fifty of the inmates including ten Boko-Haram _members have returned on their own. He assured Bauchi indigenes that better security measures will be taken around all the prisons in the country to forestall future occurrence._
The Prisons Boss also said that, “There are a few vulnerable prisons in the country including Maiduguri, Gombe and Azare prisons. We have increased the presence of armed security operatives in all these prisons in order to ensure that there is no repeat of what happened here at these places. We are working in conjunction with other _security operatives who are really complementing our security efforts”._
The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu who also reacted to the attack described it as an unfortunate happening at a period when Muslim faithful were observing the compulsory fasting of the holy month of Ramadan as well as barely _hours to the celebration of the successful ending of the thirty days fasting. He however called on the people of Bauchi to regard it as an act of Allah._
The Emir said that, “By the grace of Allah this is the last we _will see of the Boko Haram sect. We will work with the government as well as other security agencies to ensure that this did not happen again.” He urged the people to get the attack behind them and celebrate the Eid-el Fitr in a joyful mood.
It would be recalled that last year’s Boko Haram uprising began with attacks on Police stations and Policemen in particular were among the victims of the attacks by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Maiduguri, Borno state. The 2009 uprising was crushed by a combined Police and Military assault, resulting in the killing of hundreds of members of the Islamic fundamentalist group. Their headquarters and mosque were also left in ruins.
Tuesday’s attack in the Bauchi state capital really exposed the lapses and weakness in the nation’s security apparatus. “These people, reports have it, were about 300 in number and have been in the state capital for almost one week. No security agency reacted for almost one hour and at the end of the day, the attackers went away scot-free. This smells of connivance and porosity in our security network. May God save Nigeria”, opined a political analyst who pleaded anonymity.
Boko Haram means “Western education is sin.” The sect, which has been known by various names, including the Nigerian Taliban, claims it is fighting for the establishment of an Islamic state in Nigeria. However, the vast majority of Muslims in the country reject the sect’s hard-line ideology and many observers say the group grew out of frustration and anger over Nigeria’s widespread corruption, poverty and lack of opportunities for youths.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 20 September 2010
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201009220395.html?viewall=1