Suicide Bomber Kills 60 In Adamawa – 30 Women, Children Die In Monday Attack, Attack Cruel, Dastardly -FG

The Adamawa State Police Command says the death toll in yesterday’s Mubi mosque suicide attack has risen to 60.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Othman Abubakar, confirmed the development to our correspondent yesterday.
Abubakar said that a young boy was responsible for the blast which occurred during the early morning prayer.
“We have 60 dead and we are now trying to get the exact number of those injured ,” Abubakar said.
Our correspondent reports that the attack happened in Dazala area of Mubi town in Adamawa yesterday around 5 a.m. when Muslims were observing the early morning prayer.
The incident was the first in three years since the liberation of Mubi town from Boko Haram insurgents in 2014.
Also, at least 30 women and children were killed Monday in attacks by militiamen in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, police said.
Residents and security sources said the attacks on the mainly Fulani settlements were by armed gangs suspected to be of the predominantly Bachama ethnic group in the area.
They however said the death toll was higher.
An affected resident, Oriwa Hammadu, said the militia members were chanting war songs on Monday evening as they launched attacks on the settlements in Shafaran, Shawal, Gumara, Kikam and Kadamti villages in the area.
“The attacks came when all the men were out of the areas. Many had gone to market and a wedding ceremony in Mayo-Belwa, so they took us by surprise,” said Mr. Hammadu.
“I was on my way back from Numan town market when I saw smokes billowing from our settlements. Later, I saw some Bachama militia members numbering about 150 coming from our settlements.
“So, I had to sneak to save my life. But they killed our children, women and burnt houses.
“They came with dangerous weapons including machetes, daggers and guns and were chanting war songs in Bachama dialect.
“Both the injured and the corpses were evacuated to Numan General hospital,’’ a distraught Mr Hammadu said.
A truck driver, Emmanuel Nwachuku who plies the Numan-Jalingo road said: “The attackers singing Bachama songs came in their dozens.
“We saw them while crossing to Dong road. Thank God we escaped before they launched the attacks.’’
The spokesperson of Adamawa State Police Command, Othman Abubakar, said about 30 persons were killed in the attacks on herdsmen in the area.
“Thirty Fulani children and women were killed during the attacks in Numan villages by suspected Bachama farmers and already investigation has commenced to arrest the suspects.
“We were told the attackers hailed from the affected areas. We are on top of the situation and already investigations have commenced to fish out those involved,’’ he said.
Speaking shortly after the burial of the victims, the North East chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Mafindi Danburam, said women and children were killed by the attackers who came in the wee hours of Monday.
“We have just observed the funeral rites of 45 bodies of women and children here in Numan. We are still searching for the remaining missing people.
“We want government to as matter of urgency, swing into action by investigating those involved so as to avoid reprisal.”
Mr Danburam alleged that Bachama youth had been threatening herdsmen to vacate the area.
“In the build up to these attacks, the district head of Numan had earlier summoned Fulani leaders and ordered them to leave his domain. He even threatened that there would be attack. And all pleas by the Fulani were to no avail,’’ he said.
The state Deputy Governor, Martins Babale, visited the area on Tuesday to assess the situation after which he called for calm.
Mr Babale, who condemned the incident, vowed that government would fish out the culprits.
“The culprits would be brought to book and whoever is involved will not be spared, so lets learn to live in peace,’’ he urged.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described the early morning suicide bomb blast in a mosque in Mubi, Adamawa State as “very cruel and dastardly.”
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President commiserated with victims’ families as well as the government and people of the state.
He assured them that his government would do everything required to secure the state from the deadly menace of Boko Haram.
The President enjoined the people in the entire North-East to be more vigilant and report suspicious persons to security agencies in order to avert further attacks on soft targets by the terrorist group.
According to the statement, Buhari has also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to deploy more police personnel to prevent further attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara State.
The statement added, “Noting the current moves by the IGP to review police personnel and strategy in the state, the President directed him to visit the state and report back his findings of the deadly attacks.
“The directives followed recent killings and wanton destruction carried out by unknown gunmen in communities in Shinkafi and Maradun Local Government Areas of the state.
“President Buhari prayed that God would console the bereaved families in the Adamawa and Zamfara incidents, heal the injured, and grant rest to the souls of the departed.”