The Borno State Police Command has made a U-turn, denying attacks on the Police Divisional headquarters and burning of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) checkpoints in Maiduguri, the State capital.
Daily Trust had reported an invasion of the Police facility located at Ibrahim Taiwo Road, an incident that the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Daso, confirmed to one of our reporters.
However, a statement signed by the PPRO on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, said there was no security breach in Maiduguri as reported by the Daily Trust.
The statement read: “The attention of the command has been drawn to several publications by online news publishers and Daily Trust Newspaper of Friday, May 3, 2024 Vol 60, NO. 76 with the caption “Repentant B/Haram members invade Police station in Borno”.
“The command wishes to inform the general public that there was no any attempt to invade or attack any police station in Borno State.
“As part of crime prevention measures adopted by the command to rid Maiduguri municipal of crimes and criminalities and other social vices, on the 30th April 2024 at about 1745HRS, a joint raid was carried out at Kasuwan Fara Area Maiduguri, eight (8) suspects were arrested with four hundred and twenty six (426) assorted dry-gin, spirits in sachets, PET and glass bottles.
“It will be recalled that the area has been a hotspot where criminals use as their hideout to carry out their nefarious activities which necessitated the state government to ban any form of unlawful activities in the area for the general safety and security of the neighbourhood.
“However, some mischief makers twisted the scenario as captioned by the reporter of Daily Trust newspaper, despite the press release on the arrest of the 8 suspects and exhibits recovered for the information of the general public.
“It is an established fact that peace have been restored in Borno State where members of the public are going about their lawful pursuit without any hindrance or molestation.
“The command wishes to call on the good people of Borno State to disregard such unfounded and misleading information with intent to derail the success achieved towards Borno restoration.”
We stand by our story
However, contrary to the statement by the Borno State Police Command, what was reported by this newspaper is true, and we have all the facts, including the photos of the attacks on Immigration and NDLEA outposts and the official Situation Report (SITREP) as reproduced below:
GOOD EVENING SIR X SITREP FROM PPRO BORNO STATE COMMAND 01/05/24 1800HRS X INCIDENT REPORT X RAID GENERAL X RECEIVED FROM SUPOL ITE X THAT ON 30/04/24 AT ABOUT 1745HRS X RAID WAS CARRIED OUT AT KASUWAN FARA AREA MAIDUGURI X A NOTORIOUS BLACK SPOT FOR DRUG PEDDLERS X DISMISSED SOLDIERS X REPENTANT BOKO-HARAM X HOODLUMS ASSEMBLE FOR INTOXICATION THAT WAS CLOSED BY BORNO STATE GOV X EIGHT SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED AT THE SPOT X FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX DRY GIN SPIRIT AND LIQUOR WERE RECOVERED X AT ABOUT 1940HRS OF THE SAME DATE X ABOUT A DOZEN OF UNKNOWN MEN IN MILITARY UNIFORM SUSPECTED TO BE REPENTANT BOKO-HARAM FROM THE SAID BLACK SPOT X ATTEMPTED TO INVADE ITE POLICE STATION TO RESCUE THE SUSPECT EARLIER ARRESTED X GALLANT OFFICERS AND THE DPO OF THE DIVISION REPELLED THE SUSPECTS ATTACK X THE SUSPECTS TOOK TO FLIGHT REGROUPED AND ATTACKED X NDLEA AND CUSTOM PERSONNEL CHECKPOINTS ALONG KASUWAN FARA ROAD X BURNT DOWN THEIR CHECKPOINTS X SAND-BAGS AND LEFT X EFFORTS IS ONGOING TO ARREST THE FLEEING SUSPECTS X WHILE THE EIGHT SUSPECTS EARLIER ARRESTED HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO CRACK SQUAD FOR DISCREET INVESTIGATION X ABOVE FOR YOUR INFORMATION SIR X FROM PPRO BORNO XXXXX
Daily Trust reports that on our story of Friday, May 3, the Police Public Relations Officer in Borno State, Kenneth Daso, confirmed that there was an incident at the police station, and the assailants were repelled.
He had said; “As you know, such activities have been banned in the area by the state government since last year.
“Few hours after the arrest, some unscrupulous persons, so-called repentant Boko Haram, dressed up in military attire tried to invade our police station at Ibrahim Taiwo but were repelled immediately.
“Thereafter, they went and attacked Nigeria Immigration Service and NDLEA check points after the welcome to the township gate and they burnt it down.”
