B/Haram intensifies attacks in Borno, Yobe

Former President Goodluck Jonathan promised Nigerians that his government would end insurgency before his successor Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29.However, not long after that assurance was made, the insurgents seized Marte, the operational headquarters of Chad Basin Development Authority.Since then the insurgents have been on the prowl in the rural areas of the […]

Former President Goodluck Jonathan promised Nigerians that his government would end insurgency before his successor Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29.
However, not long after that assurance was made, the insurgents seized Marte, the operational headquarters of Chad Basin Development Authority.
Since then the insurgents have been on the prowl in the rural areas of the three states, killing, looting and burning houses.
They unleashed an audacious attack on Maiduguri couple of hours after Buhari assumed office, and have continued their spate of suicide bombings almost on daily basis.
Yesterday the group attacked two towns in Yobe state and burnt down a police station, local government secretariat and other government buildings in Ngalda and Fika towns, Fika local government.
On the same day, the militants also detonated an improvised explosive device inside the main market in Maiduguri seriously injuring four people.
In the Yobe attacks, our correspondent gathered that the militants stormed Ngalda village around 6:30pm, seized fuel from black marketers and burgled provision stores before attacking Fika, the local government headquarters.
Malam Ahmadu Maikano, a resident in Fika said that gunmen went into the town in two hilux vans and five motorcycles shooting sporadically.
“They burnt down a police station, the local government secretariat and local education authority, health, works offices,” he said.
He added that the militants seized a truck in the town into which they loaded food stuffs, drinks and other essentials from the two provision stores they forced open.
He said when residents heard the insurgents were approaching they fled the two towns to safer places. No loss of lives has been reported.
Yobe state Police Public Relation Officer, Mr Toyin Gbadegesin said he was not aware of the incident. “But, I will call the CP (commissioner of police for confirmation,” he said but did not revert to us.
Emir of Fika and Chairman Yobe state Council of Chiefs, Dr. Muhammadu Ibn Abali Muhammadu Idrissa condemned the attacks, saying he was deeply touched them.
“We felt very bad and deeply touched by what happened, a number of public offices were destroyed such as Fika Local Government Secretariat, Police Station, Local Education Department, Fire Service Department and some shops were also torched.
“It is very unfortunate to destroy public offices and properties meant for the benefit of the people.” He said shortly after inspecting the destructions in Fika town.
He called on the authorities to embark on aggressive patrolling so that such attack could be avoided the in future.
Maiduguri blast chopped off trader’s hand
Sources said the bomb that injured four people in Maiduguri was probably planted over night and then remotely ignited when the market opened for business.
One of the victims lost a hand and the three others sustained bruises while nearby shops and stalls were destroyed.
The incident happened around 1pm at Gamboru Market, the second biggest market in the town. A witness, Mantau Sani said businesses at the market were immediately closed while the scene of the blast was cordoned off by the police.
“The bomb was buried near the stand of charcoal mangers and it went off when nobody expected anything,” Sani said.
Market official, Ustaz Babakura said it was a “low profile” explosive device, otherwise the casualty would have been much higher.
“The hand of one person was completely severed by the bomb and three other people sustained injuries…nobody died and all the victims are receiving treatment in hospital,” Babakura said.
In the last five years, the Gamboru Market has been attacked more than 12 times by the Boko Haram assailants, killing dozens of people while properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed.
On Saturday, at least 16 people were killed and more than 30 seriously injured when a suicide bomber disguised as a worshiper and blew himself off in the midst of people performing late afternoon prayers at a mosque near the Maiduguri Monday Market.
In the early hours of the same day, hundreds of suspected Boko Haram fighters who could not gain access into Maiduguri freely fired several arsenals into the town using rocket propelled grenades (RPGs).
Thirteen people were killed while many houses were destroyed.