Many killed, houses, vehicles burnt
in fresh Boko Haram attack
on september 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm in
news
MAIDUGURI (AFP) – Suspected Islamist
insurgents dressed in military uniforms
set up checkpoints in an attack in
Nigeria’s northeast, killing an unclear
number of people and burning dozens
of buildings, residents and authorities
said Wednesday.
The attack on Tuesday evening in the
Benishiek community in Borno state
saw suspected members of Islamist
extremist group Boko Haram invade the
area, attacking residents and motorists.
One of the burnt school buildings in
Maiduguri
A Borno state government official said
at least five local residents were killed
in addition to an unclear number of
motorists travelling through the area,
while about 50 buildings housing shops
and homes were burnt.
“Based on the information at hand, only
five residents of the area were killed,”
said Garba Ngamdu, an adviser to the
state governor.
“A large chunk of the victims were
motorists travelling on the highway,
although we do not have a tentative
figure yet.”
An army spokesman confirmed the
attack and said a number of residents
and tanker drivers had been killed, but
declined to provide further details.
Residents recounted seeing bodies
along the roadside and said the
attackers were singling out those from
Borno state.
The reason why was not immediately
clear, but Boko Haram members have
repeatedly carried out revenge attacks
against residents over the emergence
of vigilante groups that have formed to
assist the military.
“The militants arrived in military vans
and uniforms around 6:00 pm (1700
GMT),” Mallam Isa Manu, a motorist
who escaped unhurt, told journalists in
the Borno state capital Maiduguri.
“They set up checkpoints on the
Damaturu-Maiduguri highway and
ordered motorists to park and identify
themselves.”
Benishiek was also the scene of clashes
on September 8 between suspected
Boko Haram gunmen and vigilantes.
Five Islamists and 13 vigilantes were
reported to have been killed.
A military offensive launched in May
aiming to end Boko Haram’s four-year
insurgency appears to have pushed the
extremists outside of major cities and
into more remote areas, where attacks
have been occurring.
Separately on Wednesday, the military
claimed a strike on a Boko Haram camp
in the northeast last week left about
150 Islamists and 16 soldiers dead,
amid reports of dozens of troops killed.
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in fresh Boko Haram attack
on september 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm in
news
MAIDUGURI (AFP) – Suspected Islamist
insurgents dressed in military uniforms
set up checkpoints in an attack in
Nigeria’s northeast, killing an unclear
number of people and burning dozens
of buildings, residents and authorities
said Wednesday.
The attack on Tuesday evening in the
Benishiek community in Borno state
saw suspected members of Islamist
extremist group Boko Haram invade the
area, attacking residents and motorists.
One of the burnt school buildings in
Maiduguri
A Borno state government official said
at least five local residents were killed
in addition to an unclear number of
motorists travelling through the area,
while about 50 buildings housing shops
and homes were burnt.
“Based on the information at hand, only
five residents of the area were killed,”
said Garba Ngamdu, an adviser to the
state governor.
“A large chunk of the victims were
motorists travelling on the highway,
although we do not have a tentative
figure yet.”
An army spokesman confirmed the
attack and said a number of residents
and tanker drivers had been killed, but
declined to provide further details.
Residents recounted seeing bodies
along the roadside and said the
attackers were singling out those from
Borno state.
The reason why was not immediately
clear, but Boko Haram members have
repeatedly carried out revenge attacks
against residents over the emergence
of vigilante groups that have formed to
assist the military.
“The militants arrived in military vans
and uniforms around 6:00 pm (1700
GMT),” Mallam Isa Manu, a motorist
who escaped unhurt, told journalists in
the Borno state capital Maiduguri.
“They set up checkpoints on the
Damaturu-Maiduguri highway and
ordered motorists to park and identify
themselves.”
Benishiek was also the scene of clashes
on September 8 between suspected
Boko Haram gunmen and vigilantes.
Five Islamists and 13 vigilantes were
reported to have been killed.
A military offensive launched in May
aiming to end Boko Haram’s four-year
insurgency appears to have pushed the
extremists outside of major cities and
into more remote areas, where attacks
have been occurring.
Separately on Wednesday, the military
claimed a strike on a Boko Haram camp
in the northeast last week left about
150 Islamists and 16 soldiers dead,
amid reports of dozens of troops killed.
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