Fresh Boko Haram attacks in Borno claims 20 lives

No fewer than 20 people were feared dead, while several others sustained injuries, yesterday, when suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched separate attacks on Gajiram, the council headquarters of Nganzai and Bulabulin Ngawra Village of Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

During the attacks, two primary schools, a clinic and some residential houses were also set ablaze.

Nganzai is about 73 kilometres, while Bullabulin Ngawra is 45 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Both councils are linked and share borders with the terrorist’s camps of Marte and Sambiza Forests said to have been destroyed by JTF at the peak of the emergency rule and the military onslaught of Boko Haram terrorists in the state since June this year.

The terrorists also laid ambush to the Damboa-Maiduguri road, which was reopened two weeks ago, where they were believed to have shot dead five people.

“The Boko Haram sect members attacked Bullabulin Ngawra in the early hours of today (Thursday) and killed five people. I believe that they attacked us because of how our volunteers have succeeded in curtailing their atrocities in our area,” an eyewitness said.

Some Maiduguri residents told reporters: “We saw two Hilux patrol vehicles of the military conveying bodies and the injured heading towards University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), but we could not ascertain whether they were victims of the latest attack in Nganzai or Bullabulin Ngawra”.

The suspects, according to sources in Maiduguri, sneaked into the hospital through the perimeter fence, before the youths sighted them with rifles and ammunition at about 10.35am on Wednesday.

“The suspects disguised as injured and sick persons with rifles hidden under their flowing gowns. They perforated the barbed wires; before entering the hospital premises to seek medical attention. The vigilance youths saw the suspects and arrested them on the spot, before handing them to us here.”

Some suspects were also arrested in Bulunkutu in Maiduguri when they were trying to collate information on the activities of the civilian JTF.