Boko Haram Kills 39, Destroys Borno Village

Boko Haram insurgents wreaked havoc in Mainok, a village about 50 kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno State. The insurgents did not only sack the entire village, they killed no fewer than 39 residents.

The British Broadcasting Corporation reported that buildings in the village were still on fire while bodies were lying in front of a mosque waiting to be buried as of Sunday morning.

An eyewitness,who did not give his name, said, “They (insurgents) started shooting everywhere, they started burning all the houses in the village.

“I don’t think that there is any house that is standing in the village and they have killed at least 39 people .

“These people have guns – AK47, RPGs and so on; they can come and attack anybody and kill, including women and children, they kill everybody that can see them.”

A civil servant, Mustapha Musa, also told journalists that he drove through Mainok on Sunday and saw the whole community in ruins.

He said, “We were in a sober mood over the incident in Maiduguri when we started hearing gunshots and thereafter, they went ahead, hurling explosives on houses. This (Sunday) morning, we counted 39 bodies.

“As of 10am today(Sunday), many buildings were still in flames. Almost all the village with hundred of houses have been destroyed by the rampaging ins0surgents.

“I saw dead bodies in front of the Central Mosque of the village waiting to be buried. The primary school in the village has been burnt. Some vehicles and shops were also burnt.”

But a senior officer of the State Security Service, who confirmed the incident, said,

“Mainok was attacked and over 30 people were killed.”

A security source said that the insurgents suddenly struck in the village shortly after soldiers moved to their base at Benisheik.

The Boko Haram members were said to be on a reprisal against members of the Volunteer Vigilance Group known as the civilian JTF for informing the military of their activities.

Our source said that the civilian JTF had foiled an earlier attack on Mainok by alerting the military. It was learnt that over 40 insurgents were killed last week by soldiers who laid ambush for them.

The Spokesman for the 7 Infantry Division of the Nigerian Army, Col. Mohammed Dole, confirmed the killing of the over 40 insurgents.

Also, the Special Forces were said to have seized two Toyota Hilux jeeps, three motorcycles and arrested two of the insurgents suspected to have planted the twin bombs that rocked Maiduguri on Saturday.

A security source said that the two insurgents were arrested at the busy Post Office area of Maiduguri in a pick-up van laden with Improvised Explosive Devices. Two AK 47 assault rifles in the van were also seized.

The source said that the two suspects and the seized weapons were taken to the headquarters of Sector 4 of the JTF in Maiduguri.