Borno: Scores Killed In Fresh Bama Attack

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, February 19, (THEWILL) - There seems to be no end in sight to the Borno killings as Boko Haram gunmen appears to have gone berserk in their thirst for blood.

On Wednesday, the terrorists again unleashed yet another attack on Bama, the commercial town which has become the target of incessant attacks by the insurgents, killing scores of people and injuring several others.

In the last few months ago , the Boko Haram gunmen  have subjected the town  to series of attacks thus forcing the residents to flee and crippling all forms of commercial activities.

During one of the attacks on Bama last year, several security personnel were killed while   properties worth billions of Naira were destroyed as the insurgents set the entire town on fire.

Confirming Wednesday's attack, the  Senator representing Borno Central, Ahmed Zannah, said  several persons were killed as he disclosed that two of the victims were personally known to him.

He also confirmed that many properties were  destroyed during the rampage by the insurgents in the early hours of Wednesday.

Sources in the town also listed five prominent indigenes of the town among those killed in the attack.

"I can tell you that several persons were killed by the hoodlums who went from one house to the other killing people at will.

"They went about burning shops and shot severally into the air," a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

However, some report said there were no fatality in the attack though confirming that several shops were burnt.

Some residents also claimed that the attack prevented them from coming out for the morning prayers as they had to remain indoors for fear of being shot by the insurgents.

One of the sources said  the palace of the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn ibrahim Elkanemi, was spared by the insurgents  who torched the surrounding buildings.

'We have had to comb the town for corpses and luckily enough we found none," he disclosed.

Another resident of the town revealed that most communication lines were down and that traffic in and out of the town have to be stopped with major streets barricaded.

The Borno State Police Commissioner, Lawan Tanko, who also confirmed the attack could not however give much details, saying he was yet to be properly briefed by his men.

Meanwhile, the residence of the commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Major General Tukur Buratai,  has been attacked by Boko Haram in Borno.

Buratai, an indigene of Buratai town in Biu Local Government of the State, has a family house and personal residence in the town.

The attack on  Buratai's family house was said to have claimed the life of a person while  another was injured.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the house of the military chief  at about 6pm on Tuesday  and killed a man identified as carpenter before setting the house on fire.

A resistance by the soldiers on guard at the house however led to an exchange of gun fire during which a soldier was killed.