Boko Haram Kills Nine In Borno Church

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, June 02, (THEWILL) - A suspected Boko Haram attack on a church, Sunday morning, at Attangara village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State has claimed the lives of nine worshippers.

THEWILL gathered that the gunmen stormed the church while the Sunday service was ongoing at about 9:30am, opening fire on the worshippers, killing nine persons while many others escaped with varying degrees of injuries.

A police source, who confirmed the killings, however said four of the gunmen were killed while three others were arrested by village youths, though THEWILL gathered that a spontaneous reaction led by youths from Attangara and neighbouring Agapalwa village left at least 37 of the invading attackers dead.

A local source, who gave an account of the incident in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Monday, said: 'The attack occurred in the morning at about 9.30 at EYN Church while the service was going on.

'Our church has some men as security group. They usually keep vigilance at the church especially when service is going on. As we were holding service, we started hearing gunshots and everybody fled, some through the windows and ran into bush. Some whose houses were near the church also ran to their houses. Men in the community immediately mobilised and pursued the Boko Haram men.

'They were more than 10, they came with motorcycles and a car. Our vigilante killed four of the Boko Haram and arrested three. I later discovered nine of our men in the church (security group) were shot dead. I left Attangara yesterday afternoon, slept at Gwoza to get to Maiduguri today,' the sourced added.

The chairman of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno state chapter, Reverend Titus Pona, confirmed the incident via telephone to correspondents.

'I was told by my members that 37 suspected Boko Haram members were killed after an attack on Attangara and Agapalwa villages.

'Most of the villages attacked in Gwoza, Bayan Dutse area since a week ago are dominated by over 80% Christians,' he added.

There was no official confirmation of the incident from Nigerian authorities as at the time of filing this report.