By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Nigeria Police |
In a late-night assault that underscores the persistent security challenges in Nigeria's northeast, suspected terrorist group of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) launched a deadly attack on a police outpost in Yobe State. The violent incident resulted in the death of a police officer and the theft of critical security assets.
The attack targeted the Geidam Local Government Area in the early hours of Wednesday. According to local sources, the insurgents stormed the police station with a clear objective. An automatic alarm prompted a police officer to investigate the disturbance, leading to his tragic death at the hands of the waiting terrorists. The assailants successfully made off with one police patrol vehicle and set another ablaze before moving to a secondary target.
Emboldened by their initial success, the militants reportedly proceeded to the nearby Geidam Police Area Command office. However, their attempt to repeat the theft was met with resistance. Police officers on site engaged the attackers, firing tear gas that ultimately forced them to disperse. Unconfirmed reports also suggest the attackers opened station cells during the chaos.
This brazen raid highlights the audacity of terrorist groups in the region. Unofficial intelligence indicates that ISWAP elements have been regrouping in neighboring Yunusari LGA, using towns like Sukdu and Bulabulin as staging grounds. The Yobe State Police Command, through spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim, has confirmed the incident, noting that the primary motive appears to have been vehicle theft and that a full investigation is underway.
The Yobe attack is not an isolated event but part of a distressing pattern of violence sweeping across Nigeria. Just days earlier, bandits invaded a secondary school in Kebbi State, abducting 25 students and killing a staff member. This was swiftly followed by a deadly raid on a church in Kwara State, resulting in casualties and kidnappings.