Maiduguri Attacks - 38 Policemen, Six Soldiers, 106 Others Dead
confirmed that 38 Police officers were killed during Monday
and Tuesday's attacks on Damaturu and Maiduguri by Boko
Haram terrorists, who targeted police stations and other
security agencies. More than 150 persons, including two
medical doctors, a staff of the Federal Polytechnic,
Damaturu and his two children were also killed during the
attacks, a rescue official and a health worker told AFP.
The Police confirmation came just as a top security
personnel confided in Vanguard that about 60 terrorists
were killed by troops of the Nigerian Army backed by Air
Force helicopters, thereby successfully repelling the
terrorists from both towns.
Relatives sit around one of the victims of twin suicide blasts
at Kano central mosque in the accident and emergency ward
of the Nassarawa Specilist Hospital in northern Nigeria's
largest city of Kano on November 28, 2014. At least 120
people were killed and 270 others wounded when two
suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen opened
fire during weekly prayers at the mosque, a week after the
emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, of one of Nigeria's top
Islamic leaders called on northerners to defend themselves
against Boko Haram Islamists tha have been carrying deadly
attacks and seizure of territory in the northeast. AFP PHOTO
The military has also raised the alarm that the Boko Haram
terrorist group was getting both human and equipment
reinforcements from Chad as many of their members either
captured or killed in battle turned out to be Chadian citizens
or mercenaries.
Police confirms 38 officers dead
Confirming police casualties during the terrorists' attacks on
Damaturu, Yobe State capital, Force Public Relations Officer,
CP Emmanuel Ojukwu in a telephone chat with Vanguard,
said that "the 38 policemen were killed in battle with the
insurgents while fighting jointly with other security agencies
to ensure Boko Haram did not succeed in taking Damaturu
and infiltrating Maiduguri."
Eyewitness reports had indicated that during the attacks on
Damaturu and Maiduguri, the terrorists swooped on some
police stations and targeted the armouries before setting the
stations ablaze.
A senior rescue official and a medical source at Sani Abacha
Specialist Hospital, Damaturu said 115 bodies were brought
to the morgue after Monday's attack, although it was not
clear whether they were insurgents or civilians.
"All 115 were in civilian clothing, but it was not certain
whether they were all non-combatants and among the dead
were two medical doctors, a staff member of the federal
polytechnic in the Yobe State capital, and his two children.
Six soldiers were also killed", the sources added.
The medical source said it was "likely" that most of the 115
persons who died were insurgents.
Rescue team still searching for more bodies
He added: "Rescue teams are still looking in the bushes
around the city for more bodies. It's believed that people
might have died from gunshot wounds while trying to flee."
The senior rescue official said 78 people were injured. Of
those 53 were treated and discharged.
Most of the policemen killed were at the Mobile Police base
in the Gujba Road area of the city, according to the police
spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirming eye-witness
accounts from residents that the facility was attacked.
Monday's raid came just hours before two female suicide
bombers attacked a market in Maiduguri, less than a week
after two other women hit the same location, killing more
than 45.
Also, a top security source said soldiers from the 7 Division
of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Kawuri which is the major
town before Konduga got wind of the plot by the terrorists to
invade Konduga, from where they would advance to
Maiduguri.
Konduga, which is the closest town to Maiduguri from the
eastern part of the capital, has been the scene of several
fierce battles. It was gathered that the terrorists were
determined to capture Konduga, because if the town falls
and Maiduguri is invaded, it would be difficult for the
military to retake Maiduguri because the fight back will
come through Konduga that would become their ambush
base.
A military source in Maiduguri and a civilian vigilante both
confirmed the attack in Konduga and said it was a likely
reprisal for the failed Damaturu raid.
Konduga, 35 kilometres (20 miles) from Maiduguri, has been
attacked repeatedly in recent months but has high military
presence.
Musa Yohanna, who fled Lassa on Tuesday to the Adamawa
State capital, Yola, said the attack on his town followed a
previous unsuccessful raid on Saturday.
The attack on Konduga left scores of militants dead,
according to a military source and a civilian vigilante, while
one resident said many civilians were feared killed in the
town of Lassa.
Why curfew was lifted
Abdullahi Bego, spokesman for the Yobe State Governor,
Ibrahim Gaidam, told AFP the curfew on the town was lifted
"following the return to normalcy".
Vanguard gathered that yesterday morning, troops in
Konduga, Borno State destroyed a vehicle laden with
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) meant for suicide
bombing operation by the terrorists.
"This is the latest incident in the series of recent attempts by
terrorists to make incursions into the town and other
surrounding communities", a source said.
The source disclosed that an undisclosed number of
terrorists were killed, noting that no personnel or civilian
was affected in yesterday's incident.
A top military source who commented on the development,
urged residents to always report suspicious movements as
well as strange people to appropriate authorities for
investigation and appropriate actions.
He said: "What we need from Nigerians is their support,
their encouragement and prayers to enable us overcome
this insanity from unrepentant terrorists."
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