Boko Haram kills 24 in fresh Borno village attack

By Staff | BusinessDay, Nigeria

7 April 2015

Suspected Boko Haram Islamist militants opened fire on Kwajaffa villagers in southern part of Borno State and torched a number of buildings in a new attack, killing at least 24 people and wounding several others, witnesses said on Monday.

Resident Ahmad Ali told AFP that roughly two dozen assailants, who were “obviously Boko Haram fighters” stormed the village at dusk on Sunday and ordered residents out of their homes.

According to him, locals thought the Islamist insurgents “were going to preach and leave”, but in fact they “opened fire on the crowd”.

Ali said the death toll likely passed two dozen but no other eye witnesses could be reached immediately to confirm the figures.

“They then went on setting fire to homes, burning half of the village before they left,” he added.

Babagana Mustapha said a relative who fled the attack in Kwajaffa arrived at his home in Borno’s commercial hub of Biu, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Kwajaffa, at 11:30 pm (1030 GMT) on Sunday.

This relative reported similar details concerning the attack, including a number of casualties, Mustapha told AFP.