70 Boko Haram fighters who Pretended Like Cattle Herdsmen killed in attack

Nigerian troops backed by civilian vigilantes today
claimed to have killed more than 70 Boko Haram
fighters in a foiled attack to capture the strategic
town of Konduga near Maiduguri.
A would-be suicide bomber was shot and killed
before he could ram his explosives-laden car into
a military checkpoint in the town during the attack
yesterday, witnesses said.
Around 150 Boko Haram fighters entered the
fishing town with a large herd of cattle pretending
to be herders and opened fire on troops stationed
in the town, leading to a six-hour gun battle.
"At the last count 73 Boko Haram gunmen were
killed in the foiled attack," a civilian vigilante,
Butari Mala, told AFP.
Among those killed was a suicide bomber who
was shot inside his car loaded with explosives
before he could reach his target," he said.
"The rest fled into the bush but were pursued and
bombarded by a fighter jet that deployed from
Maiduguri."
A military source in Maiduguri, who requested
anonymity because he is not authorised to speak
to the media, confirmed Mala's account, including
the death toll.
The attack happened at about 7:00 am (local time)
and the gunmen abandoned the cattle as they
approached a military post, said Konduga
resident, Abba Kaka.
"Unknown to the Boko Haram gunmen herdsmen
in Konduga had been asked to keep away from
some designated no-go areas," he added.
"So when the gunmen came in through these
designated areas it was clear to soldiers they were
not genuine herdsmen and they met the soldiers
waiting for them," Kaka said by telephone from
Maiduguri.
Soldiers and vigilantes have repelled more than a
dozen attacks by Boko Haram on Konduga, which
is some 35 kilometres (21 miles) southeast of
Maiduguri.
Troops and vigilantes have been stationed in
Konduga to prevent it from being used as a
launchpad to attack the Borno state capital, where
the group was founded in 2002.
The latest defence of the town comes after a
number of claimed Nigerian military successes,
including the recapture of the town of Baga, on
the shores of Lake Chad.
Soldiers, backed by armies from neighbouring
countries have been involved in a fight-back
against the militants, whose attacks have
threatened regional security and upcoming
elections in Nigeria.