At least 80 dead after suspected Boko Haram attack in Nigeria
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On Sunday, around 150 suspected terrorists on motorcycles reportedly launched an attack in Yobe state, opening fire on local communities.
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A man walks past burnt out houses following an attack by Boko Haram in Dalori village near Maiduguri, Nigeria, on January 31, 2016. (AP)
Local officials reported that an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe state has resulted in the deaths of at least 80 people, with several others reported missing.
“Around 150 suspected Boko Haram terrorists armed with rifles and RPGs attacked Mafa ward on more than 50 motorcycles around 4 pm on Sunday,” said Abdulkarim Dungus, a Yobe state police spokesperson, according to Agence France-Presse.
“They killed many people and burned many shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack.”
Dungus said it appeared to be a revenge attack for the killing of two Boko Haram terrorists by vigilantes from the village. Bulama Jalaluddeen, a local official, added, “From these figures it has been established that at least 81 people were killed in the attack.”
“Fifteen bodies had already been buried by their relations by the time soldiers reached Mafa for the evacuation of the corpses. In addition to these, some unspecified number of dead victims from nearby villages who were caught up in the attack were taken and buried by their kinsmen before the arrival of the soldiers. Many people are still missing and their whereabouts unknown.”
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Boko Haram and other militant groups have been responsible for a 15-year insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, causing over 40,000 deaths.
In central and northwestern Nigeria, criminal gangs known as “bandits” have similarly terrorized communities by raiding villages, killing and abducting residents, and burning homes after looting them.
Earlier last month, the Nigerian Army announced on August 10 that its military operations across the country over the past week resulted in the elimination of 108 terrorists and the rescue of 214 hostages held by terrorist groups in various regions.
During the raids, Nigerian forces discovered 66 firearms and 4,087 rounds of assorted ammunition, including machine guns, RPG launchers, and 19 vehicles and motorcycles, according to the director of defense media operations, Major General Edward Buba.
