207 Boko Haram militants killed in battle with military in Maiduguri

Nigerian security forces, and members of a local vigilante killed at least 207 Boko Haram militants who launched a daring attack on a military barracks and other neighbourhoods of Maiduguri, Borno State, the vigilante group, known as the civilian-JTF, said Friday.

Members of the civilian-JTF said they counted at least 207 corpses of suspected Boko Haram members killed during clashes with government troops early Friday.

One leader of the vigilante, Mallam Abdullahi said his members counted more than 200 bodies of suspected insurgents in one area where the fighting took place, and said there would be more bodies in the bush.

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“We have counted 207 dead members of Boko Haram in our area, Jiddari-Polo, alone. Many others are being killed in the bush because the fighter-jet is still shelling them, and some of our members have accompanied the soldiers in pursuing them,” Mr. Abdullahi said.

The group said the figure comprised of the attacking members of the Boko Haram and the other members freed from the military cells within Giwa barracks.

Residents had earlier described as encouraging the sight of youth in their thousands storming the neighbourhoods of the attacks with clubs, spears, bows and arrows, and machete, searching for Boko Haram members.

The attack came days after the defence headquarters said Nigeria’s newly-appointed chief of army staff, Major General Kenneth Minima, had relocated temporary from Abuja to Maiduguri to help oversee the government’s response to attacks by the deadly sect.

It was not clear whether Mr. Minimah was in the town when it came under attack. There were no report of his visiting any of the affected areas, or meeting with the media.

Calm returned to the city by evening, as members of the Civilian-JTF took to the streets singing victory songs and chanting anti- Boko Haram slogans.