Gunmen attack army checkpoint, kill 2

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Gunmen attacked an army checkpoint in Takanda-Giwa village, Bauhaus highway on Sunday killing one soldier and one civilian, while another civilian was injured.

Our correspondent gathered that the attack caused panic on the highway as motorists coming from Batch and Jos were forced to abandon their vehicles and ran for dear life, while some were said to have made upturn.

Unconfirmed report had it that about five soldiers were killed in the operation, while the attackers made away with the soldiers’ Toyota Hulks van parked at the checkpoint.

But it could not be confirmed if any of the attackers lost their lives in the exchange of fire with the soldiers.

However, a military source informed only one soldier, who was a driver, was killed in the attack, while the civilian was caught in the cross fire between soldiers on duty at the checkpoint and the gunmen

The source added that Sunday’s attack by the gunmen was a retaliatory attack, as security personnel had been chasing the gunmen for some time now.

He revealed that even on Saturday, security operatives chased the gunmen from one area to the other.

The source, who would not want to be named, however, declared that the army and their security agencies were on top of the situation.

According to him, more personnel had been deployed in the area to pursue the fleeing gunmen.