By Milcah Tanimu
Armed assailants launched an attack on the Adamawa State Police Headquarters in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area, sparking panic among Yola residents early Wednesday morning.
According to SP Suleiman Nguroje, the state Police Public Relations Officer, the attack was successfully repelled, but the perpetrators’ identities remain unknown. There are unverified claims that the attackers may be military personnel seeking reprisal for the alleged killing of one of their own by the police.
The police are currently conducting investigations to determine the motive behind the attack and identify the assailants. Reports suggest that tensions have escalated recently, evidenced by a faceoff between officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel at the Kaduna Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency.
In that incident, NAF personnel reportedly attempted to release colleagues arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation targeting individuals involved in alleged internet-related fraud activities. The situation intensified when six military personnel, including four Air Force officers and two students from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, attempted to forcibly release the detained suspects. Despite subsequent inter-agency communications, the matter escalated on November 17, 2023, when some unruly NAF officers stormed the Kaduna Command in a commando-style operation to release their detained colleagues.
The EFCC, exercising restraint in response to the provocation, continued engaging with the NAF leadership and ultimately released the officers to the NAF Provost after proper profiling. The EFCC assured the public that it remains committed to its statutory mandate of addressing economic and financial crimes without hindrance.
The Adamawa State Police Headquarters attack adds to the rising tensions in the region, and authorities are working diligently to ascertain the motives and individuals behind the incident.
