Many killed as Boko Haram attacks market

Boko Haram insurgents on Friday attacked a Borno

market, killing scores of traders and marketers, a

military source said.

The source claimed the insurgents, who were looking for

food to sustain their terror acts, invaded Mainok market,

about 56 kilometres from Maiduguri, on Friday

afternoon. The source said they carted away foodstuffs

and money belonging to the traders after killing many

people.

A Maiduguri resident, Alloy Ikechukwu, who travelled

along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road, told newsmen the

attackers stormed the market at about 1.30pm.

"I boarded a luxury bus from Lagos and as soon as we

arrived Mainok at exactly1.30 p.m., we heard heavy

gunshots from the western part of the market and

sporadic gunshots followed.

"Hundreds of traders and residents fled the market in

confusion, running to cross the highway to the other side

while vehicles passing through the town were also

making attempts to flee the town. It was such a

confusion," he disclosed.

He said many fleeing residents were hit on the road by

equally fleeing motorists in the midst of confusion that

ensued.

"Many people may have been killed judging from the

way the insurgents were shooting at the crowd," he

said.

He also he saw many of the fleeing residents who were

hit by vehicles speeding off from the area, falling and

bleeding. "Vehicles were hitting one another and the

Boko Haram kept shooting," he added.

A security personnel who also travelled on the road

disclosed that the attackers first fired into the middle of

the market

"The death toll may be high because there were many

people in the market," the personnel, who did not want

to be named, said.



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