Polytechnic Killings: Arrests Made, Students Allegedly Behind Massacre!

Following Police investigations into the killing of about 46 students of Federal Polytechnic Mubi in Adamawa State by alleged unknown gunmen or cultists last week, Vanguard can report authoritatively that the killings were perpetrated by an Islamic sect and that masterminds of the gruesome massacre were three students of the polytechnic and one student of the Adamawa State University, Yola.
Police sources in Abuja disclosed to Vanguard yesterday that 30 suspects had so far been arrested in connection with the massacre and among them are 12 confirmed members of Boko Haram and the four students who have also been confirmed to be members of the dreaded Islamic sect. According to the source, during investigations, it was discovered that all the 46 students massacred were either the new leadership of the Students Union that were elected the previous week or those that voted  to elect the new leadership of the union. Vanguard was told that from investigations, the masterminds of the killings, belonged to the opposition during the election for the Student Union Government who had
boasted that they cannot lose the election as there would be consequences if they didn’t win, a threat that was waved aside by the generality of the students. When the results were eventually announced and the opposition lost, the three students who are also members of Boko Haram, got in touch with their members for a revenge mission that was timed to occur in the night when all the union leaders as well as their supporters would be in their hostel. The murder was largely successful because the killers knew the names, abode, movement and whereabouts of their fellow students. Asked if there was a hint of ethnic cleansing in the killings, the source said it was purely election issues and that both Christians and Muslims were killed.On what will become of the arrested culprits and other suspects, the source said that as soon as investigations were completed, they will be charged to court to face appropriate penalties.
Meanwhile, Vanguard has also gathered that the two Policemen killed in Kano yesterday and whose rifles were taken away by alleged unknown gunmen, were killed in an ambush. Police sources disclosed that the two officers had been detailed to provide security for personnel of the ministry of health who were carrying out polio vaccination on children in the state and that while they were at a location, they received a distress call that robbery was going on somewhere. They (Policemen) promptly moved to the scene described in the distress call. On getting there, and finding out that no such robbery took place, they were on their way back to the polio vaccination centre when the gunmen ambushed and shot them before making away with their rifles. It was further gathered that the Inspector General of Police has directed the Kano State Police Command to go all out for the killers of the policemen while all other policemen in the state are to become very vigilant to avoid being caught unawares.

But please, if the perpetrators are an Islamic sect, and Boko Haram trainees, why then is it not an ethnic cleansing? And if Boko Haram is against western education, why are some of their members in school, killing both fellow muslims and christians alike, in an election war? Questions, questions, questions Nigerians! What do i know though? What do you think of this?

Anyway, because I was unsatisfied with this story, I decided to gather more facts. But in Nigeria, who knows what the actual ‘facts’ are? This is another twist to the story.

  A man, who claimed to be a senior member of the Islamic sect, told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday that his group had nothing to do with the killings.

“We have no business with students or student politics. If students are our target we would have killed them randomly on sight and in their school and not sneak on them in the creeping darkness in an area occupied by both students and residents,” he said.

The man, who PREMIUM TIMES’ investigations revealed to be a member of the group, said if the sect wanted to attack educational facilities, it would have gone for structures and not students.

He said, “What would have been our target as far as I am concerned would have been the building and property of the institution, since it is owned by the government. At least, by now other students elsewhere would have been attacked if students are our concern.”

He said the mode of attack was not characteristic of the sect’s numerous attacks. “Several statements by our spokesman and Imam in the past have made it clear who our enemies are. I don’t have to repeat it here. I don’t think anybody among us has the time to draw up a list or read it out before executing the students.”

Source: Vanguard, premium times