Death toll in Borno attack hits 101

Military, police avert fresh blasts
BORNO State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, has said that the number of residents of Dalori villages who died in the attack perpetrated at the weekend by suspected Boko Haram gunmen has risen to 101.

According to him, 16 villagers were still missing and 85 bodies have been deposited at the morgues of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and State’s Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.

The commissioner disclosed these yesterday in Maiduguri, while briefing the Deputy Governor, Usman Durkwa, and the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Umaru Hassan, on the casualty figures and 59 victims who are being hospitalized at the two hospitals.

His words: “A total of 65 bodies were deposited at this Specialist Hospital, 10 others are being deposited at UMTH, while another 10 were buried yesterday evening at the Dalori community cemetery.”

An eyewitness, Bulama Malum, also yesterday said that he saw more than 20 bodies burnt beyond recognition in the torched Dalori village, before fleeing to Maiduguri on Sunday morning. He also said 15 other villagers are still missing 24 hours after the insurgents attacked Dalori village along the 40-kilometre
Maiduguri-Konduga road on Saturday night.

There are other unofficial sources that said that the death toll was over 100. A rescue worker with one of the humanitarian agencies, who was not authorized to speak with the press, disclosed that more than 100 people were killed during the night attack.

A member of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who identified himself as Musa Adamu, in Maiduguri also told The Guardian yesterday that the death toll in the attack was over 100 even as at Saturday night when the incident occurred.

Fugu Ajari, who escaped the attack, told our correspondent on phone in
Maiduguri, that the insurgents came and were shooting sporadically and people started running from all direction.

Also yesterday, the Borno State Police Command said its Explosives Ordinance Department (EOD) “identified and demobilized” two cylinders of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at State’s Pilgrims Welfare Board office in Maiduguri at 10.35pm on Sunday.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday in Maiduguri on the averted bomb blasts, the Police Public Relations Officer, Isuku Victor, said the explosives were planted at the entrance of the board’s office by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
He said the demobilization of the IEDs was successfully carried out by a joint team of military and police personnel.