Members of the Boko Haram sect have killed four persons and injured three others in separate attacks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Three of the casualties were reportedly killed by the sect’s gunmen at Baga International Fish Market, while a soldier died when a bomb exploded in Gwange area of the town.
Three other persons were injured.
An international timber market near the fish market has been shut down for fear of possible attack by the sect.
The gunmen were said to have trekked into the fish market, where neighbouring Chadians, Nigeriens and Cameroonians usually buy dry fish, and shot two local tea sellers.
An hour earlier, members of the sect had killed a patent medicine seller in the town, bringing the casualties to three.
Several people were injured in the sporadic shootings that followed the fish market attack.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman, Lt.-Col. Hassan Mohammed, told reporters on phone that he was not aware of the incident, but said: “something happened in Baga Road area this morning”.
He said: “I have sent my men to Baga Road area where we learnt that something happened. I cannot tell authoritatively whether or not there was an attack, but we shall surely arrest whatever situation we find there.”
Some traders told reporters that they were tired of the activities of JTF officials, who allegedly shoot at innocent civilians.
A fish seller, Mallam Ahmed Ibrahim said: “We are in a serious dilemma here. Some gunmen come into the market and kill our people everyday. Instead of the JTF going after them, they are busy chasing us out of the market and forcing us to leave our shops unattended.”
The two international markets have been closed.
Mohammed said some unidentified persons planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near a high tension electricity pole in Dalla and detonated it when a JTF vehicle was passing by.
He said the explosion shattered the area.
Mohammed said the fire from the explosion caught a petrol hawker by the road side near a mechanic workshop, adding that it destroyed some cars.
The JTF spokesman said the injured were taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment.
He said the JTF has begun investigations and that some suspects have been arrested over the blast.
Some residents who spoke to our correspondent accused the JTF of setting the area ablaze leading to destruction of cars and not a petrol hawker as JTF claimed.
via The Nation
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