The police yesterday
launched a search for more than 100 mobile police trainees who are
missing as a result of the attack on Thursday by Boko Haram on the
Nigeria Mobile Police Academy in Gwoza.
There were indications that some of the fleeing trainees were sighted in Yola and Mubi in Adamawa State.
The lucky ones were said to have made calls to their colleagues on their safety.
The whereabouts of most of the trainees could not be accounted for as at press time.
There was anxiety that some of the mobile police trainees might have been captured by the sect.
But a reliable source in the police, however, confirmed that a
roll-call of those on training was being conducted last night to
ascertain the actual number and list of those in the academy.
The situation appeared tense yesterday following the blockade of all routes leading to Gwoza by Boko Haram insurgents.
The police could not gain access to Gwoza to reclaim the academy where the insurgents have hoisted their flags.
According to a reliable source who is central to the management of how
to retake the academy, none of the trainees could be located.
The
source said: “Preliminary findings showed that the insurgents invaded
the school in the morning when most of the mobile police trainees were
in their training shorts and vests.
“We are talking of more than 100
trainees missing. If the academy is at its full capacity, it can take
up to 1,000 policemen either trainees or those for in-service training.
None of the police trainees has officially got in touch.
“They
overran the academy, burnt some parts of it and hoisted their flags. All
those in the school fled and we cannot account for their whereabouts.
“Yesterday some of the trainees were said to have been sighted in Yola
and Mubi where they got in touch with their superiors and relations. We
are suspecting that some of these trainees might have also managed to
escape to their squadrons.”
Responding to a question, the
highly-placed source said: “We cannot rule out if any of the trainees
had been captured or not by the insurgents because it was a sudden
invasion and the topography is hilly.
“As I am talking to you,
neither the military nor the police could gain access to Gwoza, either
to reclaim the town or the academy.
“Boko Haram insurgents have
taken over the entire Gwoza and mounted blockade to deny the police and
other security agencies access to the place. The insurgents are in
charge of the place now.”
The source said the police management has
ordered a roll-call of those nominated for training in the Academy to
“at least get a list of the trainees.”
“We have started the search
for them from the roll-call. We will now get in touch with their
superior officers, colleagues, relations or next-of–kin if they have
heard from them.”
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