Boko Haram bombs kill motorists travelers in Borno

The Executive Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, Umar Ibrahim, on Tuesday, confirmed the death of an unspecified number of motorists and travellers after their vehicles stepped on Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), planted by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect, along the Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok road.

Ibrahim said the incident which happened on Monday night, added that the terrorists also went on a rampage by invading the Njilang village in Whuntafu ward of the council where they razed houses, burnt down food barns and farmlands.

Though the council boss did not specify the number of victims as he said security operatives were yet to come up with a figure, he said the road which had been closed for years, was only reopened for travellers recently.

“I received a distress call yesterday (Monday) night that one of my communities, Njilang, was attacked by armed terrorists.

“Though details were still sketchy, some callers informed me that some motorists and travellers were killed while infrastructure was destroyed in the unfortunate incident.

Read also: Boko Haram chief executioner reputed to have killed over 1000 captives surrenders to troops in Borno

“From what we gathered, the motorists and passengers were plying the recently reopened Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok-Askira/Uba road when the trucks conveying them with foodstuff stepped on IEDs planted by suspected terrorists.

“The terrorists who are suspected to be Boko Haram members also invaded the Njilang and opened fire sporadically at fleeing residents, killing three people and looting shops before setting ablaze residential houses without confrontation.

“They also burnt down food barns and farmlands. We are still awaiting security operatives to give us the exact figures of the victims,” Ibrahim said in a statement he personally signed.

Efforts to get a confirmation from the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sani Shatambaya, were abortive as calls to his phones were not responded to before going to press.

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