Gunman attacks school, widow, children killed in Jos

Posted by admin Headlines, Plateau, State News Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

July 18, 2012 by Jude Owuamanam, Jos 65 Comments

acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar
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A widow and her three children were hacked to death on Tuesday when gunmen invaded their residence at Sabon Gida Kanap, Bukuru, Jos South Local Government, Plateau State.

Our correspondent learnt that the attack took place at about 2am.

The incident occurred about eight hours before an unknown person fired a gun-propelled rocket at Nure Islamic High School at Angwan Kerena adjacent to the Jos South Local Government secretariat. He missed his target but a seven-year-old-boy was reportedly hit. The victim was said to be a bystander and not enrolled at the school where pupils were studying for exams.

The man was said to have fled the scene before he could be apprehended.

The incident, which occurred at about 10.15am threw residents of Jos metropolis and Bukuru into panic.

The action was said to have angered the Hausa community who responded with gunfire.

The shooting were so intense that it reverberated in Jos town, sending residents in different directions.

Parents rushed out immediately to pick up their children from their schools while traders hurriedly shut their shops and fled.

A resident of the targeted area said a lone attacker “dressed in red” stood on the street outside the school and fired a heavy weapon.

“The missile deflected and hit the wall of the school, killing (the young person),” resident Murtala Abdullahi told AFP.

Police Public Relation Officer in the state, Emmanuel Abuh, who confirmed the incident, said boy’s brain was blown off.

Also, the Media Officer of the Special Task Force, Capt. Salisu Mustapha, confirmed the development.

Mustapha said, “We realised that somebody parked his vehicle and targeted NureI Islamic High School with an Improvised Explosive Device, he fired at the school and luckily he missed the target but most unfortunately it hit a boy and he died.”

On the killing of the widow and her three children in Sabon Gida Kanap, Mustapha said it was a robbery incident.

He said, “Early hours this morning we got reports that there was a robbery on one house around General Area and there was exchange of fire between the perpetrators and our troops, arrest was not made and I don’t have the figures of the casualties.”-Punchwp_posts