| Yesterday in Niger, today in Nigeria. But in both cases eleven is the magic number, for some reason. |
... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...jihadists killed at least 11 people, burnt a church and seized a priest on Christmas Eve in Nigeria's restive northeast, local sources said
Security agencies had in recent days warned of an increased risk of attack during the holiday season.
Fighters in trucks and cycle of violences stormed Pemi, a predominantly Christian village in Borno state Thursday, shooting "indiscriminately" and setting buildings on fire, said Abwaku Kabu, a militia leader.
In many parts of Nigeria, communities have resorted to armed vigilantes or militias, who work alongside the army, for self-defence.
"The turbans killed seven people, burnt 10 homes and looted food supplies that were meant to be distributed to residents to celebrate Christmas," Kabu said.
"Four more dead bodies have been found in the nearby bushes by search and rescue volunteers," local community leader Ayuba Alamson said Friday. "This has moved the corpse count to 11."
The number of dead could rise as villagers fled to the bush and some people are still unaccounted for.
The assailants, who drove from the group's nearby Sambisa forest enclave, looted medical supplies from a hospital before setting it ablaze, the militia leader said, adding they also burnt a church and kidnapped a priest.
The village is located only 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls six years ago.
In a separate raid on Thursday, button men attacked another Christian community in Garkida in the neighbouring Adamawa state, looting drug stores and food supplies before torching homes, residents told AFP.
| The local Moslems want their share of Christmas fun... |
Nigeria's security agency had earlier this week asked Nigerians "to be extra vigilant and report strange movements."
President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement Thursday "reiterated the promise of his administration to remain unyielding in confronting the Boko Haram insurgency as well as other forms of criminality."
The 78-year-old urged citizens to volunteer "intelligence/information on activities of armed bandidos, holy warriors and other criminal elements within their communities in order to put an end to this blight."
The decade-long conflict in Nigeria's northeast has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes, according to the United Nations
...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks...
Violence has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon
...a long, narrow country that fills the space between Nigeria and Chad on the northeast, CAR to the southeast. Prior to incursions by Boko Haram nothing ever happened there...
, prompting regional countries to form a military coalition to fight the jihadist groups.
Related:
Borno: 2020-12-22 'Some of us were killed,' kidnapped Katsina student says in video released by Boko Haram
Borno: 2020-12-21 Nigeria Jihadists Kill Five Soldiers, Kidnap 35 Civilians in Two Attacks
Borno: 2020-12-20 Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in NE Nigeria
Borno: 2020-12-22 'Some of us were killed,' kidnapped Katsina student says in video released by Boko Haram
Borno: 2020-12-21 Nigeria Jihadists Kill Five Soldiers, Kidnap 35 Civilians in Two Attacks
Borno: 2020-12-20 Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in NE Nigeria