Suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect have again attacked Ladi-Kayamula village in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State on a market day, killing no fewer than five persons as they shot at traders and customers at the market square.
The latest attack, which happened on Sunday, came barely 10 days after the sect invaded the village on a market day, killed nine persons and injured several others.
The sect members were also alleged to have attacked some homes in the village with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) which set several houses and shops ablaze.
Ladi-Kayamula village is on the outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis, located about 15 kilometres south of the state capital.
However, in a renewed effort to curb the attacks by the Islamist militants, the Nigerian Army has established a Special Operation Command (NASOC) to effectively deal with terrorism and insurgency within and outside the country.
It was learnt that the insurgents stormed the village at about 2p.m. on Sunday and opened fire on residents and were said to have particularly targeted traders.
A source told journalists that the terrorists threw explosive devices and petrol bombs at the people in the market.
A resident who did not want his name mentioned for security reason told journalists on the phone that the insurgents, numbering over 20 and armed with sophisticated weapons, also fired into the crowd and slaughtered one person who was not downed by bullets.
It was also gathered that the quick intervention of troops and airstrikes forced the insurgents to flee into the Sambisa forest.
Spokesman of the 7 Division, Nigerian army, Col. Mohammed Dole, confirmed the incident to journalists in a telephone interview.
Dole said: “ Yes it is true that some gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists invaded Kayamula village on Sunday where they wreaked havoc on innocent civilians. We have mobilised our troops to the area and they are now patrolling the general area with a view to arresting the culprits”.
He however could not give the casualty figure in the attack as he said he was yet to ascertain the number of those affected.
But he added that normalcy had been restored to the village and that the people were going about their normal businesses.
In a renewed effort to tackle the Islamist militants, the army has established a special command to effectively deal with terrorism and insurgency within and outside the country.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, while fielding questions from journalists at a workshop in Abuja, said the Army Council recently approved the command to boost the transformation efforts of the army.
According to him, the army’s roles as well as those of other services are crucial to the overall national strategy to defeat Boko Haram terrorists and curb other security problems such as oil theft in the Niger Delta.
He said: “A lot of the performance of the command will depend on skills and human efforts rather than equipment and what we are doing is creating a unit of highly patriotic Nigerians ready to make sacrifices in the face of extreme danger.
“We want a unit that will have the ability to shift the grains from the shafts, to be more accurate in their targets, therefore reducing the incidence of collateral damage.”
He added that the United States would provide training assistance towards the quick realisation of the NASOC.
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