WE ATTACKED SAMBO’S HOME, SAYS BOKO HARAM

Vice President ,Sambo

Boko Haram (Western education is sin) yesterday claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack on the family house of Vice President Namadi Sambo in Tundun Wada, Zaria.

The sect also said it was  behind the explosions in Sokoto, also on Monday and the recent attacks in Bauchi, Bauchi State, Maiduguri, Borno State and Damaturu in Yobe State.

The group warned Christians and informants to the security agencies, saying the sect would attack any government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim.   

 “We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engage in assisting security agents to arrest us,” a statement by the group said.

A statement sent to reporters in Maiduguri yesterday evening believed to be authored by the sect spokesman, Abu Qaqa, also claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks in Sokoto, Zaria and Damaturu. The statement reads:

“All praises go to Almighty Allah. This is a very important message from the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. We wish to extend our profound gratitude to Almighty Allah for giving us the opportunity to fulfill the promise we made on launching spontaneous attacks in Sokoto.

“We have reasons for all our activities and we only kill those who wronged us. We attacked Sokoto because many of our brethren have been incarcerated there. We are gladdened by the successes we recorded at the office of the AIG in Marina and the police divisional office at Unguwan Rogo as well as the police station at Arkila.

“We wish to reiterate that our crusade is not for personal gain; it is meant to ensure the establishment of an Islamic state by liberating all Muslims from the excesses of the infidels. We strongly believe that Almighty Allah will reward us with his famous paradise in the hereafter as he rightly said in chapter 9 verse 111 of the Holy Qur’an

 “We wish to strongly warn people to desist from collaborating with security agents. The fact is that we are the warriors of the Almighty and even the security forces are finding it difficult to contain our activities. We want to stress that in our struggle, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim but engage in assisting security agents to arrest us

 “We are also aware of the activities of some women who have been recruited to spy on us. This is a final warning to all of them. Whenever we catch any woman spying on us, we would slaughter her like a ram.

 “We are responsible for the attacks in Bauchi and at the residence of Namadi Sambo in Zaria as well as the one in Damaturu where we bombed a patrol vehicle.

 “We equally dealt a big blow on JTF operatives in Maiduguri who, out of frustration went back and killed innocent and defenseless citizens.

 “It is erroneous to say that we are killing Muslims. We don’t kill innocent Muslims. The fact is the bottom line of our struggle is to set the Muslims free from enslavement. We only kill the unbelievers.

Security agencies yesterday began a probe into the motive for Monday’s attack on the family home of Vice President Sambo in Zaria.

Monday’s attack on the house - the second such attack got the security agents cracking.

But Sambo said he would not be intimidated by such attack as he called on the aggrieved to come forward for dialogue.

The police in Kaduna said yesterday that they had arrested two people in connection with the incident in which a gang of three, riding on a motorbike, shot at the building in Tundun Wada, killing a cobbler and injuring the two policemen watching over it.

The building has been unoccupied following the previous attack at the time of Monday’s incident.

It was learnt that one of the clues being considered is the suspicion that the gunmen wanted to snatch the policemen’s rifles.

The Presidency is believed to have directed other security agencies, including the Military Intelligence, to team up with the Police to probe the motives behind Monday’s attack.

It was learnt that taking of samples of shrapnel and metals at the scene was completed last night.

A source said: “Security agencies are investigating the incident because this is the second time the VP will be a target.

“The house was the same one that was burnt last year. So as at the time of the attack, nobody was in the house. The police were there to prevent further vandalisation of the house, pending renovation.”

Sambo, however, pleaded with the gunmen to come out for dialogue in the interest of the country. His spokesman Umar Sani said: “The attack is unfortunate. We are still calling on them to come to the table for dialogue; whoever they are. We are ready to discuss with all such categories of gunmen.

“The VP is not happy that an innocent life (a cobbler) was lost in the incident. Every life is important to him; he is sad over the incident.

“The government wants to discuss with them with a view to ironing out all issues they are aggrieved about.”

Asked if the VP did not feel intimidated, Sani said: “Certainly not.

You don’t intimidate anybody in a house no one is living in.”

The Police said the two arrested people are suspected to be part of the three-man gang behind Monday’s attack.

Kaduna police spokesman Abubakar Balteh said one of the suspects was arrested in a hospital where he had gone for treatment for his gunshot wound.

He said the suspect, who was injured during an exchange of fire with the policemen, was identified by one of the injured policemen also receiving treatment at the hospital.

Balteh said: “One of the suspects who sustained injuries during the battle with the policemen guarding the house was identified on a hospital bed by one of the injured policemen and he was arrested immediately.

“Another policeman was able to identify one  of the four robbery suspects we arrested this morning (yesterday) in Zaria  as one of the suspects. One of the robbery suspects was killed in a cross fire by our men.”

Balteh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police smashed a four-man robbery gang in Zaria, killing one and arresting the others.

The Nation, By Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Tony Akowe, Kaduna