By NDAHI MARAMA & SUSAN EDEH
MAIDUGURI— MEMBERS of Boko Haram, yesterday, exploded a bomb on one of the patrol teams of the Joint Military Task Force on Operation Restore Order in the new prison area in Maiduguri in the process killing seven  soldiers.

Commander of the Task Force, Maj.- Gen. Jack Nwaogbo, who confirmed the explosion said: “One of our patrol teams was targeted this morning by hoodlums around new prison, Maiduguri. Seven soldiers  were killed.’’

Nwaogbo who added that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident, said: “We have arrested one of the perpetrators. My men are in the process of cordoning off the entire area as part of the initiatives to contain activities of the hoodlums.”

The commander said the bombers came on a motorcycle, threw the bomb on the patrol vehicle and fled through Budum road, adding that the entire Abbaganaram, Budum, Lawan Bukar, Galadima junction and Shehuri, and all the major streets leading to these areas will be blocked until the suspects had been arrested.

Some newsmen who tried to visit the scene of the blast were turned back by fierce looking soldiers who said: “My friend we don’t want to see any ID card, just turn back.”

A resident of Abbaganaram told Vanguard: “We couldn’t move out of our houses as people were running in all directions. When I enquired what happened nobody could explain, so we rushed in and locked our gates.”

The sect members were also said to have come through Bulabulin, shot sporadically in the air at the Customs area after the bomb blast to scare the people.

Traders at the Custom market abandoned their wares and fled the market because of fear of attack by Boko Haram members and intimidation by security operatives.

Revenge attack in Bauchi

Meanwhile in what could be described as a revenge mission after the police engaged members of the sect in a gun battle at Unguwan Kaura in Jahun ward of Bauchi State, Boko Haram members, yesterday, invaded Toro Divisional Police Station, sacked police men on duty before ransacking the station’s armour.

Vanguard gathered from an eye witness that the gunmen numbering about five stormed the station at about 8 pm and shot sporadically into the air to scare away people.

The gun men were said to have met an empty police station, as all the policemen on duty had run away  leaving behind their arms and other belongings.

No casualty was, however, recorded during the operation.

Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Barau told Vanguard on enquiry: “no comment.”