Dec 10, 2012 – 3 Boko Haram Members,
Police DPO Died In Gunbattle
(Potiskum, Yobe)
A policeman and at least three
suspected Boko Haram gunmen died
Monday following an early morning
bombing and shooting raid on a police
formation in Potiskum, Yobe state in
northeast Nigeria, a military
spokesman said.
The Suspected Boko Haram militants
launched the attack with explosives
and rifles around 2:00 am (0100 GMT),
leading to a shootout with police and
troops, Lieutenant Lazarus Eli said.
“The (military) was promptly alerted
and reinforced the police in repelling
the attack by Boko Haram terrorists
on the police area command,” he told
AFP.
“The DPO (Divisional Police Officer)
died in hospital from gunshot wounds
he sustained in the shootout while
three bodies of the terrorists were
recovered, although the terrorists
took away around 10 of their men
killed in the encounter,” Eli claimed.
Residents of Potiskum said explosions
and gunfire echoed through the town
for over three hours.
The Boko Haram militants also burnt a
bank and looted a store, residents
said, but Eli declined to comment.
Potiskum, the commercial capital of
the state, has been repeatedly hit by
deadly Boko Haram attacks in recent
months, leading to heavy military
crackdowns in which dozens of sect
members were killed or arrested.
Violence linked to Boko Haram’s
insurgency has left some 3,000 people
dead since 2009, including killings by
the security forces. (Credit: PM)