There seems to be no let-up in Boko Haram’s bloody campaign.
Scores have died in an attack on Gamboru Ngala town in Borno State, it was learnt yesterday.
The insurgents reportedly attacked a local market, fired shots into the crowd before entering the town to burn homes and vehicles.
Gamboru is a town at the Nigeria-Cameroon border. It is the headquarters of Ngala Local Government, which is about 200km from Maiduguri, the capital of the beleaguered state.
The figure of those killed could not be independently confirmed. Borno Senator Ahmed Zannah said up to 300 were killed in the “12-hour” attack on defenceless villagers.
The insurgents reportedly had Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) and Rocket Propelled Launchers (RPGs), among other weapons.
“The attackers stormed the communities in the night when residents were still sleeping, setting ablaze houses and shooting those who tried to escape,” a source said.
The troops stationed in the village reportedly moved towards the Lake Chad area when they got information that some gunmen were sighted with abducted schoolgirls moving to the area, thereby giving the sect members the opportunity to strike unchallenged.
Defence Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade said last night that the military received the alarm raised by Zannah.
“Aside the initial alarm raised by that source, which is typical of him, we have not been able to make an independent confirmation of an attack.
“We have deployed troops and have not been able to get any confirmation,” Gen. Olukolade said.
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