Frustration Sets In As Boko Haram Attacks Motorists, Burns Houses And Shops

Suspected Islamist insurgents dressed in
military uniforms set up checkpoints in an
attack in Nigeria’s northeast, killing an unclear
number of people and burning dozens of
buildings, residents and authorities said
Wednesday. The attack on Tuesday evening in the
Benishiek community in Borno state saw
suspected members of Islamist extremist
group Boko Haram invade the area, attacking
residents and motorists. A Borno state government official said at least
five local residents were killed in addition to
an unclear number of motorists travelling
through the area, while about 50 buildings
housing shops and homes were burnt. “Based on the information at hand, only five
residents of the area were killed,” said Garba
Ngamdu, an adviser to the state governor. “A large chunk of the victims were motorists
travelling on the highway, although we do not
have a tentative figure yet.” An army spokesman confirmed the attack and
said a number of residents and tanker drivers
had been killed, but declined to provide
further details. Residents recounted seeing bodies along the
roadside and said the attackers were singling
out those from Borno state. The reason why was not immediately clear,
but Boko Haram members have repeatedly
carried out revenge attacks against residents
over the emergence of vigilante groups that
have formed to assist the military. “The militants arrived in military vans and
uniforms around 6:00 pm (1700 GMT),”
Mallam Isa Manu, a motorist who escaped
unhurt, told journalists in the Borno state
capital Maiduguri. “They set up checkpoints on the Damaturu-
Maiduguri highway and ordered motorists to
park and identify themselves.”