Scores of people were killed in Maiduguri on Thursday night as Boko Haram unleashed eight suicide bombers on the troubled town.
Apart from the suicide bombers, the
terrorist group attempted to invade the town with a small group of
fighters that attempted driving in on motorcycles.
Eyewitnesses said many of the terrorists
and civilians lost their lives in the attack by heavily armed Boko
Haram fighters at about 11:20pm on Thursday as they attempted to storm Maiduguri through its border with Mafa.
They said some of the terrorists tried
to gain access into the town after infiltrating a newly constructed
Customs House where IDPs from Mafa are camped.
It was learnt that they were repelled by troops and members of the youth vigilante group, after a long drawn battle.
The district head of Anadua in Mafa
Local Government Area, Zanna Lawan told journalists that scores of
civilians, including all the Boko Haram fighters that carried out the
attack were killed in the encounter.
He said: “Boko Haram fighters tried to
storm into Maiduguri but were defeated by our gallant troops. They tried
to storm into Yerwa, Maiduguri metropolis, through the newly
constructed Customs House where IDPs from Ajiri and Anadua in Mafa Local
government area are accommodated.
“All the dreaded Boko Haram boys were killed by our gallant soldiers, including many suicide bombers that accompanied them.”
Lawan, who spoke to journalists
yesterday morning, said: “However, many civilians lost their lives as
many also got serious injuries. As I am talking to you, security
agencies and ambulances can be seen conveying those affected from Muna-
customs camp to hospital.
Confirming the attack, the Borno state
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Victor Isuku said the incident
occurred around 2318hrs on Thursday.
He said: “The resulting explosions razed
over 13 pick-up trucks loaded with goods along Mafa-Maiduguri road
awaiting departure to Gamboru Ngala yesterday (Thursday). Police have been deployed to return safety and normalcy there.”
The National Emergency Management
Authority (NEMA), confirming the attack in a statement issued by its
spokesman, Sani Datti said: “Boko Haram members attempted to attack
Maiduguri. They came through Mafa-Dikwa road along Muna community.
“The driver attempted to overrun the
security post where the security personnel were stationed, but few of
the personnel sustained minor injuries, while the remaining bombers
detonated their IED in some of the communities in Muna Dalti settlement.
“Seven Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF)
sustained minor injuries and were taken to University of Maiduguri
Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
“Some of the suicide bombers found their
way to a place where people gathered with their trucks loaded with
goods for onward movement to Mafa, Dikwa and Ngala local government
areas.
“Over 14 loaded trucks were burnt by the
suicide bombers, though no casualty was recorded. The seven corpses of
the suicide bombers were evacuated to the State Specialist Hospital by
NEMA and Borno SEMA team.”
On Wednesday,
an Mi-17 helicopter carrying medical personnel from Maiduguri city to
treat refugees in the Gwoza area came under fire of Boko Haram
extremists, wounding an airman.
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