John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State

• U.S. deploys drones, soldiers

 From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri Boko Haram may have called the bluff of Nigeria and the international community with the spate of attacks since last Sunday, which had claimed hundreds of lives and property worth millions of Naira. The insurgents struck in Kano, Jos, Plateau State and in their stronghold, Borno State.

The Islamists sect members stormed a remote community in northern Borno State Wednesday, killing at least 29 villagers.

They rode to Chukku Ngodoa in Monguno Local Government Area, on Wednesday evening on motorcycles and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) painted in military colour and opened fire on the defenceless villagers working on their farms. “About 29 people died from the attack while 10 others were injured,” a security source said.

The insurgents also attacked the community, set fire on houses, mostly made of thatched roofs.

A Maiduguri resident said the villagers were working on their farms when the attackers came. “They were working on their farms on Wednesday evening when gunmen in Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles, stormed the village, and started firing at the people in the village,” a resident, who did not want his name in print, said.

The Commissioner of Police, Lawan Tanko, could not be reached on phone for confirmation of the attack at press time.

Last Monday, the terrorists bombed Sabo-Gari area of Kano metropolis, killing some residents who are mostly Christians. One of the survivors was six and half months old baby, Master Chigozie Nnorom. He went through surgery to remove fragments of bombs lodged in his body.

The mother, Mrs. Joy Nnorom, who hails from Abia State and her baby are still in hospital.

The following day (May 20), Boko Haram struck in a market in Jos, Plateau State at about 3.30pm, killing 118 people including seven students of University of Jos. Scores were injured in the twin bomb blasts amid fears that the death toll may increase.

As if the bloodletting was not enough, on Wednesday the insurgents attacked Alagarno village in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, some 50 kilometres from Chibok, where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted on April 14 this year. About 48 residents lost their lives in the attacks which also took place at Shawa village in Damboa council area.

The non-realease of the over 200 schoolgirls has attracted widespread condemnation and outrage, locally and in the international community. The kidnapping has made Britain, France, China and United States pledging assistance to help Nigeria tackle insurgency.

The United States on Wednesday deployed unmanned aircraft (Drones) and 80 soldiers in Nigeria’s neighbour, Chad Republic to help in the search for the schoolgirls. Washington said the planes would be engaged in reconnaissance flights in some parts of Nigeria and other countries.



Source: Sun