Explosions rock private residence in Damaturu

Five explosives on Wednesday detonated in a house belonging to suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in Damaturu Yobe metropolis.

Yobe Deputy Commissioner of Police, Hyacinth Medugu, confirmed to newsmen that the devices exploded when a team of policemen from Yobe and Borno commands stormed the suspected house at Sani Daura Ahmed Housing Estate in Damaturu.

Medugu said, “We received information from Borno command that a house in Damaturu was harbouring Boko Haram members and requested enforcement to search the premises of the suspected house.

“We mounted surveillance on the house and noticed suspicious movements in and out of the house; then, we moved into action around 5am today (Wednesday) exchanging fire with the suspects and one of our men was shot, but he is responding to treatment.

“The unfortunate thing is that three of the suspects detonated the explosives and escaped, leaving behind two wives and three children who have been evacuated and were all safe.”

The DCP explained that men of the fire service department were invited to put out the fire caused by the explosives which razed down the house.

“We recovered five cylinders suspected to have been used for the explosives,” he said.

Medugu noted that members of the dreaded sect were turning Damaturu into a safe haven for their operations in Maiduguri.

“As a measure to check the infiltration, the command met with estate agents and vendors and directed that the profile of tenants seeking for accommodation should be submitted to the police,” the DCP said.

In another development, a detachment of mobile police in Damaturu has arrested six men of the National Security and Civil Defence Corp for arresting a riot policeman, who was allegedly drunk.

Medugu confirmed the incident, saying the matter was under investigation and “appropriate disciplinary measures would be meted out to those found wanting.”

Meanwhile, 4,326 policemen will be deployed in the state to cover the elections in the state.