No fewer than 11 people were reportedly killed in Bauchi and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of Bauchi State on Sunday after multiple bomb explosions went off in the areas. Four houses were also razed in the attack which started around 4am.

Five of those killed were the suspected bombers, while a soldier was said to have been killed at a road block.

The attacks were said to have been simultaneously carried out at Tafawa Balewa Police Station, St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and Evangelical Church Wining in Bauchi.

Two bombs reportedly went in Babangida Square, Bauchi, venue of Izala National meeting while the third was reported around ECWA 2 Railway area within 10 minutes, and another almost immediately.

It was learnt that the two of the blasts that occurred in Bauchi metropolis at around 4am on Sunday were directed at a Catholic Church Babangida Square and ECWA 2 respectively. No life was said to have been lost and no injuries recorded.

One house was said to have been destroyed in the attack on Tafawa Balewa with grenades and machine guns were said to have been used.

President of Stefanos Foundation, Mr. Mark Lipdo, who lamented the attacks, called on the Federal Government to include Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro and Bauchi local government areas in the state of Emergency.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the incidents in Bauchi on Sunday, said, “At the early hours of Sunday January 22, 2012 a massive robbery attack was launched by hoodlums at the Tafawa Balewa area of Bauchi State.

“The attack, whose sole aim was to rob, was however foiled by a combined team of military/police personnel, who confronted the hoodlums headlong while attempting to break into one of the old generation banks in the town.

“The Hoodlums were thus forced to beat a retreat, in the course of which they however attacked a military checkpoint at Bununu District of Tafawa Balewa LGA a nearby Hotel within the town, a Bank and the Police station.”

When the dust settled; a Deputy Superintendent of Police, an Army Lance Corporal, and 8 civilians whose identities are yet to be known were killed by the rampaging Hoodlums.

He added, “Furthermore, while beating a retreat from Tafawa Balewa, and along their escape route at Mararraba Liman Katagum; the Hoodlums attacked a combined team of Police/Military personnel at a check point, and in the heavy exchange of gun fire that ensued; a Military personnel was killed.

He said that investigation into the case had been stepped up, whereupon 10 unexploded Improvised electronic devices s were recovered at the scene of crime, adding that six persons have been arrested by Security Agents in connection with the attack and are currently helping the investigation, while efforts has been intensified to round-up the fleeing Hoodlums.