Heavy security around Kano prisons as police intercept vehicle loaded with explosives, firearms
AREWA AGENDA – Security has been strengthened around correctional facilities in Kano State following the police’s interception of a vehicle loaded with explosives in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES noticed on Friday and Saturday that routes leading to Goron Dutse and Kurmawa correctional facilities in the metropolis were fortified with heavier than usual security personnel. Parts of the roads were also cordoned off with road users asked to take alternative routes.
Before the new security measures were put in place, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Sama’ila Dikko, said the police foiled planned terrorist attacks and recovered firearms and explosive devices between 27 June and 21 July.
“A team of Policemen led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Alabi Lateef, while on intelligence-led surveillance patrol along Chiranchi Dorayi Quarters Kano, in continuation of a case under investigation, intercepted a moving Mercedes Benz Motor Vehicle.
“While they were about to stop and search the vehicle, the occupants opened fire on the policemen and the operatives engaged the hoodlums (who) ran away and abandoned the said motor vehicle.
“Search conducted by a team of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Defence (EOD-CBRN), the following items were recovered from the vehicle; (1) Three (3) A47 rifles with magazines fully loaded with Ninety (90) rounds of ammunition (2) Fourteen (14) empty shell of AK47 ammunitions (3) Three different mobile phones (4) different types of Explosive Devices (IEDs),” the police commissioner said.
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Meanwhile, the spokesperson Nigerian Correctional Service in Kano, Musbahu Lawan, said the security measures in place were to prevent attacks on the prison similar to that of Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Terrorists, earlier this month used explosives to breach the correctional facility in Kuje, leading to the escape of over 800 of the 994 inmates.
Mr Lawan told Freedom Radio in Kano that all routes leading to the correctional facilities in the state were blocked and more security personnel have been deployed.
Earlier on Monday, the Kano State government announced a ban on the operations of tricycles popularly known as ‘A Daidata Sahu’ from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
The government’s spokesperson, Muhammad Garba, said the decision was reached at the state’s security meeting. He said it is an effort to ensure the security of lives and property in the state.
Kano
Terrorist attacks and armed banditry are infrequent in Kano – the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria. A recent security report suggests that terrorist groups are in a desperate move to spread their atrocities to the state.
In June, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, said security operatives thwarted what could have been the worst terrorist attack in Kano.
Mr Irabor stated this when he appeared on Channels Television’s special programme tagged ‘Democracy Day: Giving Hope To Nigerians’.
He said: ”We recovered a large quantum of arms and ammunition and other materials which, of course, the criminals were intending to use in various parts of the country, including Abuja.
”Perhaps, you may not know that just only the same week of the Owo incident, (Church attack in South-west Nigeria) in Kano, for example, given the intelligence available to security agencies, we were able to botch what would have been the most catastrophic incident within our country,” the security chief said.
Source: Premium Times
