Following Friday evening’s attacks in Gombe metropolis, the state police command has beefed up security with all security agencies put on red alert.

The heightened state of security in the state followed a declaration of 24-hour curfew by the state government on Saturday.

The Gombe State Police Command, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammed, confirmed that 12 causalities were recorded in the attacks even as it noted that attempt to attack and free inmates at the prison was repelled.

“Gombe State Police Command wishes to inform the general public of the unfortunate incident in Gombe metropolis in the evening of Friday.

“There was an attack at Gombe Division. Twelve casualties have been confirmed, including two policemen, the hoodlums and civilians. Attempts by the hoodlum to attack the prison were repelled.

“The police have commenced investigations and, therefore, use this medium to call for calm among Gombe residents as police are doing their best to bring the culprits to book.

“Security have been beefed up to further secure Gombe State. Therefore, there is no cause for alarm,” the statement noted.

After the dust of the attack had settled, it became known that aparft from the 12 people that died, five others that were injured were to hospital for treatment.

Scores of unknown gunmen had, on Friday, at about 7:30 p.m., invaded the Gombe Divisional Police Headquarters from different directions and attacked it with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), burning it  many vehicles parked in the premises down.

There was exchange of gunfire between the gunmen and the policemen on duty.

Sporadic shootings were heard in many parts of the state capital, especially at all markets and the main roundabout in the town. The attack lasted for almost two hours, with palpable fear among the people of the town.

While also confirming the attack on Saturday, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ebikeme Gandi Orubebe, said 12 people were sent to early graves in the attack suspected to have been carried out by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

However, the group is yet to confirm whether it was responsible for the attack or not.

Orubebe, however, called for calm as he stated that the state police command was on top of the situation, adding that everything was being done to restore peace in the capital as well as other parts of the state.

Sunday Tribune gathered yesterday that the people of the state are suspicious that Boko Haram carried out the attack as it had, last week, warned that unless its members being detained in Gombe Prisons were released, it would replicate what it did in Kano in Gombe.

The group, it was learnt, pasted letters on the walls of the palace of the Emir of Gombe, demanding the release of its members detained in Gombe State.

Meanwhile, the state was relatively calm as of the time of filing in this report, though there was tension in the air, while there was strict compliance with the curfew imposed by the government.