Boko Haram attacks Lugumani village in Borno: 8 killed, 10 wounded

Not less than eight people were reported to have been killed on Sunday, while ten others were injured when gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram insurgents launched an attack on the village between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 am.

Lugumani is located about 90km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Awwal Sunoma, a taxi driver who survived the attack, said the gunmen who were riding on motorbikes, attacked the village along the Maiduguri-Dikwa road, at about 6 a.m. on Sunday and began to shoot sporadically forcing villagers to flee into the bush.

“They operated for about 3 hours because they only left at about 9 a.m. when soldiers from Maiduguri arrived the village” Mr. Sunoma said. “They killed at least 8 persons, and I also learnt they attacked vehicles along the road. I don’t know if people died inside the bush. But many that sustained bullet injuries were able to drag themselves back to the village.”

Mr. Sunoma spoke to reporters at the Gamboru motor park in Maiduguri. He said the attackers had to flee using their bikes when soldiers arrived the village from Maiduguri.

Soldiers are still pursuing the insurgents but there was no report as to whether they have made any arrest.

Locals in Lugumani told said that a week before the attack, there was rumour that some members of the Boko Haram group were seen in the area heading towards Marte area.

“We were told that some of the Boko Haram sect members came around and warned some people, but left almost immediately towards Marte.

“They warned that people should stop coming to the area were trucks usually came to park and rest before continuing their journey towards Ngomboru Ngala and Tchad”, Bukar Alhaji Gana said.

It was learnt that the area attacked was a usual meeting point of heavy trucks where women of easy virtue and truck drivers ease off and cool themselves in the evening.

It was learnt that the attackers who were dressed in military uniform also left with some of the women of easy virtue and also collected money from some of the truck drivers.

The spokesman of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Aliyu Danja, could not be contacted to confirm the incident at the time of filing the report.