MAIDUGURI: Boko Haram gunmen killed many people in an attack in the restive northeast, throwing explosives into residential homes and shooting dead civilians who tried to surrender, an official and witnesses said yesterday.
Residents in the town of Damboa said they were left completely defenceless after the security forces pulled out of the area following a militant attack two weeks ago.
In the latest violence, the extremists struck just before sundown on Thursday, while locals prepared to break the Ramadan fast, and rampaged with no resistance until 5 am, witnesses said.
“They killed many people. Women and children fled into the bush,” said an official with the Damboa local government, who requested anonymity.
“Those who could not flee surrendered and were killed by the insurgents,” he added.
“Most houses in the town have been burnt. Only a few still remain,” said resident Ahmed Buba. “The destruction is massive... This is the worst attack by Boko Haram on Damboa.”
Those who escaped of the overnight raid fled to the state capital Maiduguri and sought shelter in the palace of the area’s top cleric, Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.
AFP
