Many killed as Suicide Bombers besiege Chibok again

According to Tribune, TWO suspected female suicide bombers hit Chibok Market in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State leaving eight people dead and over 30 others in serious condition, a party chairman in Chibok, Lawan Pogu, told a relation in Maiduguri.
 
According to reports from Chibok, on Wednesday, the Chibok market had been shut since the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok by the Islamic militants.
“The market was only opened today, and the suicide bombers hit the market at exactly 12:54p.m. Eight people died on the spot while over 30 were rushed to the General Hospital, Uba, in Askira Local Government Area with two of the victims in critical condition,” he said.
Another resident of Chibok, Mallum Chibok, told the Nigerian Tribune that despite the presence of security in Chibok, the Boko Haram members succeeded in attacking the area.
“I cannot understand the reason why government is insisting that normalcy has returned when you can not go to Chibok from Maiduguri through Damboa. The road is still closed because Boko Haram members are still operating 21 kilometres away from Maiduguri.
“Today, they opened the market and we lost eight people on the spot with over 30 hospitalised. From what we are being told, some of the people taken to the hospital gave up as soon as they reached the hospital in Uba.
“From the text massage I just received, another six have died making the number 14. Since the attack, I have received more than 100 calls and more calls and text massages are coming in. This is very unfortunate. It is sad,” Chibok said.


Meanwhile, the Boko Haram sect, on Monday, allegedly attacked a group of firewood traders in Jawu Village, about eight kilometres from Auno town, west of Maiduguri.
Relations of the victims who spoke to newsmen in Maiduguri on Wednesday disclosed that seven people are still missing.
According to Modu Mai Ali, a relation to one of the victims, the traders were on their way to purchase firewood from the forest for onward delivery to Maiduguri when the insurgents opened fire on them.
Mai Ali continued, “We were at the railway track around 9 o’clock in the morning when they went and I even exchanged banters with some of them. I could count about 15 of them. At about 3:00p.m, news reached us that the traders were attacked and I rushed home, only to be told that eight among them escaped while seven others including my cousin are still missing.”


Baba Furra, a hunter who was also one of those that escaped, disclosed that “we use to compliment our hunting expeditions with firewood trading. About 1:00p.m. on Monday, while we were moving toward Jawu Village to get firewood, we saw a vehicle coming towards our direction and we thought they were firewood dealers. Suddenly, they opened fire on us; about 15 of us, some pushing wheel-barrows while the rest were in the Isuzu vehicle,” he added.
A youth vigilante, Musa Musa who was among those who conveyed some of the victims to the hospital said “eight of the traders escaped with one of them shot on his buttock and presently on admission at Umar Shehu Hospital. Seven others are missing.
“But the news that the missing victims have been killed was a great shock and right now, we are joining forces with hunters and some security personnel toward the forest,” Musa said.
 
A rescue official and a hospital official at Umaru Shehu Hospital, Bulumkuttu, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed the admission of a victim with gunshot wound from Auno.
As at the time of filing this report, both the military and the Police authorities could not confirm the incident but, independent sources and residents said such incidents are not new to most settlements around Jakana, Auno and parts of Damboa.