Soldiers speak to people standing away from houses burnt by Boko Haram Islamists at Zabarmari village. (AFP)
Scores of people have been killed in Zabarmari village, 10 kilometres from Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, north east Nigeria after at least six female suicide bombers loyal to the Boko Haram terror group blew themselves in the middle of a huge crowd.
The latest carnage in series of attacks that have claimed more than 200 lives in just three days happened Friday. According to an AFP tally, no fewer than 650 people have been killed since President Muhammadu Buhari took over in May.
Local resident Haladu Musa, who fled the attack, told how ‘large numbers’ of fighters poured into the village, overpowering government forces deployed to prevent the insurgents reaching Maiduguri.
Then, as people began to flee, a number of female suicide bombers started blowing themselves up in their midst, killing large numbers of people, he said.
‘Most of the casualties came from the suicide bombings,’ he said, without being able to give a precise figure for the dead and injured, Mr Musa said.
‘A total of six suicide bombers detonated themselves… killing scores of people while some people were also wounded. A soldier also died,’ the Nigerian army said in a statement without specifying the sex of the bombers.
The army said a jeep full of improvised explosive devices was recovered by troops, adding there was an ongoing search ‘for any bombs that might have been hidden or left unexploded in the area.’
Musa said the militants looted shops and torched ‘almost half the village’ before eventually being repelled after the military sent in reinforcements.
Danlami Ajaokuta, a civilian vigilante helping the military battle Boko Haram, who also witnessed the attack, spoke of heavy casualties.
‘The main concern now is to evacuate and attend to the injured and later recover …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
