Panic again gripped residents of Enugu State yesterday following a rumour that Boko Haram was set to bomb the Army Command Nursery and Primary School at the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Headquarters in the state.

It was gathered that tension gripped the people around the 82 Division when two persons were seen in a black colour Golf car patrolling the area dressed on white brocade. Their presence heightened fears.

As a result of the rumour, commuters around the New Heaven Junction, Okpara Avenue and the fly-over, close to the military barracks and main market scampered for safety for fear of being hit by possible bomb explosion.

However when reporters inquired from a soldier at the barracks, he dismissed the report, contending that the 82 Division was well fortified and had all the gadgets to dictate any type of bomb and that the security formations in the area cannot allow that to take place.

Commenting on the incident, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu, cautioned residents of the state against peddling false rumours in order to instill fear and tension in the state.

His words: “People should stop raising falls alarm about bombs. People because of what is going on now use the opportunity to create panic through peddling falsehood and causing tension. The command wants to use this medium to warn members of the public to desist from carrying false stories and deceiving security operatives.

“The command will not take kindly to people who go about spreading rumours and creating fear among members of the public. In as much as the command and security operatives in the state are well prepared, hoodlums can also cash in on these falsehood to commit crime during those periods of stampede and apprehension.”

Amaraizu, meanwhile, confirmed that the command yesterday transferred the 21 suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, arrested in the state last Wednesday to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for further questioning.

The suspects who were said to be travelling to Kano with several military uniforms concealed inside a luxury bus were intercepted by the National Task Force (NATFORCE) at Amala in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the suspects who left Aba, Abia State, were intercepted at wee hours of Wednesday while heading to the northern parts of the country.

Amaraizu, however, dismissed reports that they were Boko Haram members.

According to him, “Those people have been transferred to Abuja for further screening. They are no longer with us. But the command wishes to state that those people are not Boko Haram, this cannot be possible. Let us not go about saying that they are Boko Haram members.

“The Abuja Force Headquarters have them in their custody and they will carry out the screening and it is at their disposal to release them after routine checks and the screening.”

•Rewritten from a THISDAY report. Photo shows Boko Haram chieftains.

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