Boko Haram killed 17 persons, injured 15 and abducted 12 others in two separate attacks on Jere and Gwoza local government areas of Borno State.
Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, who alongside three other suicide bombers, yesterday morning attacked two hamlets located on the outskirts of the state capital.
Witnesses told Daily Trust on Sunday in Maiduguri that while the gunmen were shooting sporadically, the bombers maneuvered their way into fleeing residents and detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) strapped to their bodies, killing themselves and 11 other persons on the spot.
Among the dead was a Civilian JTF personnel who was said to have fought hard in repelling the attack but was overpowered and killed by the attackers.
The police, in a statement in Maiduguri yesterday, confirmed that 15 victims from the attack sustained gunshots wounds and were taken to the State’s Specialists Hospital.
“On-the-spot assessment at the scene revealed that at about 5:40am (yesterday), gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists and suicide bombers infiltrated Gwozari/Kushari in Polo general area, Maiduguri, shooting sporadically; and detonated IEDs strapped to their bodies.
“Eleven persons including three bombers died while 15 others sustained injuries and are currently at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri,” the Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, said in a statement, explaining that clearance operation was on going by a team that comprises EOD, SARS, PMF, Civil Defence and the military.
Elsewhere between Firgi and Pulka villages in Gwoza Local Government in the southern part of the state, another set of gunmen waylaid a commercial bus filled with travellers, who left Maiduguri for Gwoza town on Friday morning.
A security source told Daily Trust on Sunday that three passengers were beheaded, two others injured while 12 were taken away by the gunmen.
In another statement by the military confirming yesterday’s attack, the Army spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said: “In the early hours of today (yesterday) there was an attack by unconfirmed number of Boko Haram terrorists using Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device (PBIED) at Jidimari community in Jidari Polo area of Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
“This is in their highly desperate, orchestrated and collaborative resolve with their cohorts and sponsors to scuttle the 2019 General Elections,” Col. Musa said, adding, “consequently, troops of 251-Task Force Battalion in conjunction with the Civilian JTF immediately repelled the attack, mopped up and cleared the general area
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