Fresh Boko Haram attacks in Benue and Borno claims 90 lives

No fewer than 90 persons were killed, weekend, in separate incidents in Benue and Borno States.

In Benue, 55 persons were killed, yesterday, afternoon in one of the bloodiest clashes between Tiv youths and suspected Fulani mercenaries at Gbajimba, the headquarters of Guma Local Government Area of the state, while 35 persons died when Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists exploded at a market square in Ngurosoye village of Bama council area of Borno State.

 
The deaths were recorded on a day the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Kenneth Minimah, charged officers and soldiers involved in the ongoing counter terrorist operations in the North-East to ensure that the terrorists no longer have any opportunity to perpetrate atrocities.

This latest fighting is coming on the heels of the recent sacking of Tse Ortom-Adorogo, home town of the Minister of State for Trade and Investment and Supervising Minister of Aviation, Dr. Samuel Ortom, after Governor Gabriel Suswam’s convoy had also been attacked on that axis by the invaders.

It was gathered from an eyewitness that the suspected mercenaries stormed Gbajimba, yesterday morning but were repelled by armed Tiv youths who engaged them in a bloody fight.

In Borno, the bomb explosion occurred when most traders had come for business and all of a sudden, there was a deafening sound at the centre of the market, killing about 35 persons. Several others were also injured and some shops were destroyed.

Ngurosoye is a farming community off the Sambisa forest and about 10 kilometres from Bama council area which had witnessed series of attacks by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in recent times.

A local trader who gave his name as Mallam Isa Umar Bama, who survived the blast, told newsmen that the incident took place few metres from his shop, adding that it was by the grace of God that he is alive as some people around him died in the blast.

He said: “It was by the grace of Allah (God) that I am alive, as one of my neighbours who sold onions and customers died in the explosion.

“The attack on the market is purely the handiwork of Boko Haram insurgents who fled from the Sambisa forest after the military offensive on their camps.”

Shuaibu Abdulahi, another trader at the market said: “I travelled to Bama to buy bags of beans. Suddenly, there was a deafening bang at the middle of the market. It was in the late afternoon and commercial activities were at their peak.” He estimated the death toll to be as high as 29.

Abba Tahir, a bus driver, who was offloading passengers at the market, said he counted 20 bodies.

He said: “People were helping in evacuating the corpses after the confusion had died down. Some people, who were injured, were taken to the general hospital.”