At least 98 died over the weekend, in separate incidents in the troubled Benue, Borno and Plateau States.
One of the bloodiest clashes between Tiv youths and suspected Fulani mercenaries erupted at Gbajimba, the headquarters of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, in the afternoon of March 23, 2014, Sunday. They resulted in the death of at least 55 people.
The death toll of market bombing in Ngurosoye village of Bama council area of Borno State has increased to 35 persons. The Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been allegedly planted by Boko Haram members at a market square.
The deaths were recorded on a day the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Kenneth Minimah, charged officers and soldiers involved in the ongoing counter terrorist operations in the North-East to ensure that the terrorists no longer have any opportunity to perpetrate atrocities.
In a parallel development, at least eight people have been killed in Wase local government area of Plateau State when a group of cattle thieves attempted to snatch cattle two kilometres away from Wase town.
An alleged improvised explosive device went off close to the centre of the market, when most traders had come for business. Many shops were destroyed and the death toll reached 35 persons, while several others were also injured.
Ngurosoye is a farming community off the Sambisa forest and about 10 kilometres from Bama council area which had witnessed series of attacks by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in recent times.
The Police Commissioner of Borno State, Mr Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incident, insisted that “it was a bomb suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists at the centre of the market in Ngurosoye that exploded during market hour, killing several people and injuring others”.
He said a team of the anti-bomb squad had been already dispatched to the affected area to ascertain the cause of the blast.
n the Benue clash, heavy gun battle was ongoing in the besieged town, while women and children were seen fleeing to nearby villages and the capital city of the state, Makurdi, for safety.
According to Vanguard, the suspected mercenaries stormed Gbajimba, in the morning of March 23, 2014, Sunday, but they were repelled by armed Tiv youths, who engaged them in a bloody fight.
The Police station in Gbajimba is reportedly, helpless because it has less than 50 officers, and the number of attackers was completely overwhelming.
About 55 persons may have been killed on both sides, several people were still missing at the time of filing the present report.
The Police spokesperson, Superintendent Daniel Ezeala confirmed that serious fighting was ongining in Gbajimba at that moment, but he refused to give more details on further plans and counter actions by the police force.
In a related development, at least eight people have been killed in Wase local government area of Plateau State when a group of cattle thieves attempted to snatch cattle two kilometres away from Wase town.
According to LEADERSHIP, investigations revealed that seven cattle rustlers were killed, while a young man from Wase town was shot dead by the security operatives, when he was seen carrying a weapon, but resisted ther arrest.
The cattle rustlers allegedly came from Kadarko area in the same council, had attacked some herders on the evening of March 22, 2014, Saturday.
The herders had then sought refuge in Wase town. Later there was a shootout between the rustlers and the youths from Wase town.
Naij.com
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