Panic in Kaduna as troops kill Boko Haram suspect

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

There was panic yesterday in a part of Kaduna following a shootout between some security agents and two persons suspected to be members of Boko Haram,  leading to the killing of one of the suspects.

The incident occurred when armed security operatives stormed the residence of the killed suspect in Kinkino, Kaduna South local government of Kaduna state.

Residents of the area who spoke to our correspondent said the security operatives, comprising plain cloth personnel and soldiers, arrived the area, popularly known as Laying Sarki around 2:am  and within minutes the area was surrounded and their leader moved to the main door and ordered the occupants to  step out.

Sensing danger, the suspects who were said to be two in number took a position and opened fire on  the  security personnel, and the latter responded. The exchange of gunfire was said to have lasted for some hours, causing panic among the people.

A security source who will not want his name in print hinted  that the security personnel who acted on a tip off, moved to the rented house of the Boko Haram suspect who allegedly fled Maiduguri to settle in Kaduna.

It was also gathered that the team of security personnel that stormed the area have been on the trail of the suspected Boko Haram, and were provided with support by troops on ground.

“But unknown to them (the suspects) that the security men have surrounded the house,  he (the slain suspect) tried to  escape but was shot”, our source added.

Though the police did not officially release details about the raid that took place early hours of yesterday,  a resident of Kinkino area, Ungwar Muazu disclosed that, “the exchange of fire between the soldiers and the suspects woke us up; when we tried to know what was happening they drove us away”.

Mohammed Bawa, another resident of Kinkino, who expressed shock over the killing of the sect member in their area, said    the raid left stirred tension in the whole area.