Sounds of explosions and gunshots were heard in Kano metropolis yesterday evening as gunmen launched coordinated attacks on Dala Police Station and Goron Dutse police outpost, within the city.
At about the same time, multiple explosions and gunshots were reported in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. Yesterday�s insurgence in Damaturu was the third in less than two weeks.
Casualties in the two attacks were sketchy at press time yesterday but they came just as the new National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki was taking over from his predecessor, retired Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, who was sacked on Friday for failure to curtail the rising insecurity across the country.
The attack in Kano, which resulted in a shootout between gunmen and the Joint Security Taskforce (JTF) started around 6pm and lasted more than two hours. This is as another attack was reported on a third police station in Panshekara, on the outskirts of Kano.
At the time of going to press, Daily Trust gathered that in the gun duel, some gunmen and a police officer were killed at Dala Police Station. The station has in the recent past been the target of unsuccessful attacks by unknown gunmen.
Witnesses said the attackers had targeted policemen on duty at the station, shooting and throwing explosives at them. While some of the security men were said to have been killed, their colleagues, however, repelled the attack and killed some of the assailants.
Security sources disclosed that the attackers might be aiming at dispossessing the police of arms and ammunition.
<<Print>>