Scores have been reported killed in Damasak, Borno State, as suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked the town with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs. Damasak is 187km north of Maiduguri.
The gunmen were said to have stormed the town around 7 am in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles.
The terrorists were said to have looted and torched several houses and shops before soldiers intervened at around 11.45pm, yesterday.
“I cannot give you the exact number of people killed today (yesterday) here in Damasak, but many people were killed while fleeing into the river and to Gashigar and Diffa towns for safety,” a Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) said. “The gunmen used IEDs and petrol bombs in attacking this town in the morning while most residents were still in their houses.”
Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan confirmed the attack. According to him, “the residents of Damasak, a border town with Niger, are in confusion with sporadic gunshots and looting of shops and houses. The reports I am receiving, as I speak, indicated that a lot of houses and shops there were set ablaze by insurgents that struck Monday morning. Most of the gunmen were dressed in military uniform to disguise as Nigerian soldiers sent to protect Damasak, only to launch multiple attacks on this border town with a population of over 250,500.
“The firing powers of the gunmen overwhelmed our soldiers in the MJTF, so what they did was to flee the town for safety like the residents that fled into Niger this morning,” the senator said.
Its a weak govt. we are having,that does not care for its citizens .
Blame the insurgents and not the security operatives. The Moslems should rise up and condemn the Bokko Harsm and even pronounce fatuwa on them. While south is developing, we north are allowing such devastation in the name of Sharia. Don’t we know that our lively hood is almost gone. Vigilantes should be mobilised in all locations in the north east to help tame this evil virus.
The problem is we don’t know who the boko is,
Our present leaders are not fit to lead us, if not they would have fight so hard to stop these mess……
It just nonsense, we only pray that God. Should expose who is behind this…AMEN
The problem is we don’t even know who the BOKO’S is!!!!! I strongly believe that they should ask our leaders, cus the judas. Is among them, even our soldiers a
r not to be trusted any more because of bribe and corruption. It only God that can inter vain in this issue…..
God has already expose boko haram but we still talking about we don’t know who is boko haram last month dey arestet( CAN ) president personal jet with arms in South Africa we still talking about we don’t know who is boko haram last three weeks oga jona and Ali madu shariff travel to chad with shakau we still don’t know who is boko haram last week cameronian government arest one top chadian government with arms we still don’t know who is boko boys. a word is enough for wise.