pedestrians in Bauchi State ahead of the end of Ramadan prayers.
Security patrols were intensified especially in densely populated
areas of the Bauchi metropolis and the suburbs of Yelwa (crisis prone
area), Bayara, Guru, WuntinDada, and Tsohon Kanfani, along Bauchi -Jos
Road.
Other areas include Inkil,Bauchi / Gombe Road, Rafin Makaranta, along
Bauchi Ningi/ Kano Road, Tirwum, as well as Tundun Salmanu.
In the metropolis, problem prone areas such as
Karofi,Jaahun,Kandahar,Kofar Dumi,Yakubu Wanka,Bakin Kura and Gombe
Gate, security was beefed up ostensibly in anticipation of political
thugs commonly known as Sara-Suka.
According to unconfirmed sources, text messages warned of invasion of
the state capital by Islamists at the prayer to end Ramadan with bombs
and guns.
Abdullahi Magaji, a resident of Doya in Bauchi center, showed a text
message sent tohim by somebody he did not know. The text read:
"Asalaamailakun. This is to inform you that our people will be in
Bauchi to celebrate the Eid el Fitr along with you with our guns and
bombs either Saturday or Sunday.Be sure you receive our people .
Salaamuailaikum''.
Our reporter was shown similar message by one Malama Zueilla
Abubakarof Jahun quarters who said'' the name and the telephone number
of sender was concealed''.
Most of the people who said they received the threat messages did not
know the sender(s) of the messages and could not disclose their
sources.
It was observed that some policemen, at check points, were selective
in checking cars; flashy cars with Abuja numbers plates entering
Bauchi were not checked.This was particularly on the Jos / Bauchi
entry point from Tsohon Kanfani/ WuntinDada.
From Kano/Ningi entry, the frisking was thorough as motorists and
their passengers were asked to disembark while vehicles and people's
bodies were searched.
A police sergeant, who asked not to be named at one of the checkpoints
on the Kano/Ningi entry point, said: "You know this road is a
notorious route for insurgents. It was on this road that our people
were killed last week. The killing has happened almost five or times
and we have to be more security conscious here''.
When contacted, Bauchi Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Auyo
Hassan, said he had been away from Bauchi and could not tell what
was happening in Bauchi".
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