Maiduguri boils again •30 killed, 20 houses, 15 vehicles burnt •Manhunt for Boko Haram

Posted by admin Boko Haram Sunday, July 10th, 2011

OVER 30 people have been reportedly killed, with 20 houses and 15 cars burnt between 8.30a.m on Saturday and 4.00a.m on Sunday at London Chiki area within the Maiduguri metropolis, during a Joint Task Force (Operation Restore Order) manhunt against members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

According to a resident of the area, the Boko Haram members were said to be on the run, following a bomb blast suspected to have been planted by the group at about 7.30p.m on Saturday at London Chiki area.

Hauwa Saleh Umara, a resident who was among thousands fleeing the area, told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday: “We heard a blast last night and before you know it, soldiers were everywhere and going from house to house searching for Boko Haram. They came, broke our doors and forcibly dragged the men out of their houses.

“There were gunshots throughout the night and nobody could go out in the morning. Dead bodies were seen everywhere, people say they counted more than 30 people that were killed. We thought it wise to leave the area because we heard that Boko Haram are coming today and if they do, we know there will be more killings.”

Hauwa, who said she was heading for Mubi in Adamawa State, also disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that they dragged her husband out of the house, adding that she could only speak to him by phone when he asked her to leave for her parents’ home.

“He told me that he was safe and that he could not return home because the area is no longer safe for us,” she added.

A staff member of University of Maiduguri Primary School, Mallam Adama Abdullahi, was reportedly shot and killed during the JTF manhunt for members of the Boko Haram at Kalarin ward of London Chiki in Maiduguri.

Usman Abdullahi, a resident of Kalarin ward in London Chiki, told the Nigerian Tribune that the late Adamu was shot near his house while coming from the office.
“His house had been set ablaze when he was approaching during the gun battle between soldiers and members of the Boko Haram and before he could turn back he was caught in the crossfire,” he explained.

In a related development, another bomb blast which occurred around Ramat Square, on Sunday morning was said to have injured two people suspected to be members of the Boko Haram who were attempting to plant the bomb.

However, when the Nigerian Tribune attempted to visit the area, there were soldiers everywhere who were turning everybody, including journalists back.

In a statement by the JTF, signed by Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, the body drew the attention of the general public to the danger of allowing residential and business premises to be used by members of the Boko Haram sect as was experienced in London-Chiki on Saturday.

The statement, which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Maiduguri, on Sunday, added that at about 7.30 p.m, a patrol team of the JTF was attacked at Kalarin, in London Chiki area of Maiduguri metropolis, with improvised explosive devices (IED) and several gunshots from a bus parked close to a building.
According to JTF, “the attack was successfully repelled by members of the JTF and 11 members of the sect killed, while two members of the JTF were injured. Some buildings and vehicles were, however, destroyed by the IED.”
Meanwhile, another bomb, on Sunday, exploded at Suleja, Niger State, killing four people, two women and two men, while about seven others were seriously injured.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that no sooner the incident occurred at around 2.00 p.m than a detachment of security personnel was drafted to the scene of the bomb blast and conveyed the corpses to the mortuary of the Suleja General Hospital, while those injured were rushed to the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the blast occured in front of the All Christian Fellowship Mission and Faith Mission Church on Church Road.
The area, according to findings, was immediately cordoned off by policemen, while many residents began to move out of their home for fear of a recurrence.
The police could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report, but a top police officer in Minna, the Niger State capital, confirmed the incident.
Reacting to the incident, the Niger State government described the bomb blast as a terrorist action, saying that it would leave no stone unturned to arrest and bring to book the perpetrators.
The government said this through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Danladi Ndayebo, during a media briefing at the Government House, Minna, on Sunday.
However, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Olusola Amore, said the bomb blast, which occurred after church service, killed three people, two woman and a man.
In another development, security agents, at the weekend in Bauchi, arrested two men suspected to be members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
Nigerian Tribune gathered from a source who pleaded anonymity that the men were arrested at a military checkpoint, as they were making an attempt to escape from the state on Saturday.
He added that they were among those who escaped last Monday when policemen raided their hideout at Jahun area of the state capital.

, following a tip-off, where three of them were killed with many injured.
The source said security operatives, in conjuction with the Bauchi State government, were doing everything possible to flush out the sect and other criminal elements from the state.
Nigerian Tribune could not, however, confirm the arrest from military authorities at the time of filing this report, as all attempts failed.

-Tribunewp_posts