BY JOHN BULUS
WHETHER or not the Sunday, October 16, 2011 bomb explosion that devastated the administrative building of the mobile Police base in Kwami village, just 10 kilometres away from the State capital was an attempt to obstruct the then arraignment of the former Governor of the State, Alhaji Mohammad Danjuam Goje in Court the next day, Monday, October 17, 2011, remains a very controversial issue that will continue to play vigorously out especially in the immediate circumstance.

Goje, alongside three others who included the immediate past Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education, SUBEB, Alhaji Aliyu El-Nafaty, former Food supplier to Gombe Government House, Alhaji Sabo Tumu and S. M. Dokoro of S. M. Dokoro Ventures were due to appear in court on October 17 to answer the charges of allegation of fraud brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Palpabletension

Prior to the time, palpable tension had gripped the town on the security situation of the state and just as many feared; the explosion further became a real source of concern. Those who had any cause to go town from the outskirts or those who were going to Maiduguri through Gombe/Biu road encountered severe traffic challenges as both the Police and Military mounted unusual check points on the road, searching almost every vehicle that plied the road as a measure to checkmate the incident.

Indeed, Gombe may be situated in the middle of most troubled states in the North-Eastern geo-political zone that have so far witnessed varying degrees of civil disturbances in many guesses, but the truth is that the State in the last eight years has not been treated to any lethal act that would consume lives and leave indelible scars of pains and agony. Though, there may have been skirmishes such as the one experienced in the aftermath of the 2011 presidential election, which to many people, was not peculiar to the state, but definitely like any one as the explosion that connotes the mastery of military arts, intelligence and expertise.

Waking up on Sunday morning was the news that the Punching Arm of the Police in Gombe has been visited by the men of the underworld. The incident which occurred at the wee hours of Sunday morning, around 2: 30 am left three persons dead. One of the victims was an officer whose name was not readily ascertained. The Officer, it was learnt was in one of the vehicles that was set ablaze. He was burnt beyond recognition. The two others who met their death were suspected to be members of the gang who could not leave the building in the midst of the raging fire. Sources told Vanguard Features, VF that following a gun duel that later ensued between the hoodlums and some officers on Night duty, the attackers who had earlier gained accelerated entry into the building decided to blow up the wall of the house to facilitate their escape. But unfortunately, they blew themselves up in the process.

Apart from the Administrative building of the 34 Squadron that went up in flames, about 14 utility and patrols vehicles belonging to the Base were also set ablaze. It was obviously in one of that the said Officer died.

But then, the assailants had a target which was the armoury of the barracks. Sources told VF that a cache of guns and ammunition was carted away from the armory. It was this development that sent jitters down the spines of many residents of the state over what was the intension of the attackers in touching the coveted arsenal of the police. Many even feared, at the time that the incident would cause a shift of venue for the arraignment of the ex-governor.

The Assistant-Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 3, Yola, Adamawa State, Mr. John Moronike who was on hand during the incident confirmed that the Police Base was indeed attacked.

His words: “a minimal damage was done to the Squadron armory while the Administrative block was burnt down”.

Similarly, the Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Orubebe Ebikeme Gandhi also lent credence to the words of the AIG adding that the Anti-Bomb squad of the Police Force was on its way to comb and detonate the bombs which police authorities said littered in the compound.

To this end, not a few persons have started entertaining fears whether the blast had the imprints of the Boko Haram, the dreaded religious sect which has in recent times caused the nation some tears, agony and sorrow through their activities.

The import of this, many reasoned is that if Gombe has come under the attack of the sect, then the entire North east has been engulfed and there may not be a safe place for the people anymore within the region. But even as this fear holds, many people are not in a hurry to link the dastardly act to Boko Haram, believing it was the handiwork of those who wanted to disrupt the peace of the state to perhaps attribute it to the arraignment. But the bomb explosion puts a question mark to their arguments as it is apparently believed that bombs threats have been the hallmark of the sect. Even Police authorities in the state could not substantiate the claims as at the time of filing this report.

Security breach

Meanwhile, the arraignment of the erstwhile governor of the State who is also a current Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took place under heavy security check. Fierce-looking and heavily armed mobile policemen littered in and around the premises of the Federal High court where the arraignment held. The major Bauchi road leading to the court was completely isolated from public use for the two days the court sat on the matter.

But though, Goje’s arraignment has come and gone without eliciting any security breach as widely accentuated, many are of the view that what is now left is the arrest of the attackers who seemingly succeeded in their mission.

The guns were gone and the Police is yet to make any official statement whether there are traces to them either in Gombe State or elsewhere. But they have assured the Gombe residents of leaving no stones unturned to unmask the perpetrators of the crime. For now, the waiting game is on as residents wait to see the Police live up to their promise.