The Yobe State government on Thursday said that the death toll from an attack on a cattle market by gunmen in Potiskum town has risen to 60 people.
The medical director of Potiskum General Hospital, Donatua Muna, who disclosed this, said that dead bodies were brought to the hospital with bullet wounds as well as machete cuts and burns.
A nurse at Potiskum hospital who received bodies of the slayed cattle traders told Reuters news agency that the number of those killed in the attack could be well over 56.
“I have counted 56 bodies at the morgue and I am sure that the death toll could rise in view of the serious nature of injuries sustained,” the nurse, who gave his name as Babangida, said.
“The Potiskum mortuary is made up of a room and a parlour and I counted the 56 in the parlour only. I didn’t go into the inner room.”
Witness Mama Yusuf, a retired civil servant, said there were dead bodies on the ground, though he could not say how many.
“I saw dead bodies all around the place and the emergency services taking people to hospitals,” he said.
The Yobe State police spokesman, Toyin Gbadegesin said that the attack which took place on Wednesday night appeared to be in reprisal for an incident earlier in the day, when a gang of robbers who sought to rob the market were fought off by traders who caught and killed one of the attackers.
“A group of gunmen armed with around 20 explosives and assault rifles attacked the cattle market,” an eyewitness said.
He said that the attackers threw explosives and shot indiscriminately, setting fire to the market, killing lots of livestock and wounding many people, mostly cattle dealers.
Residents described a terrifying scene at the market usually crowded with traders, with scores of cattle burnt, the market razed and dozens of people killed.
One resident said that fire-fighters were at the scene on Thursday morning searching water wells for fears that residents had fallen in and drowned while trying to flee.
Our initial report
Unknown gunmen kill 34 in Yobe cattle market
Unknown gunmen have launched an attack in Potiskum, at the largest cattle market in Yobe state, leaving 34 persons dead.
The attack which was carried out late Wednesday night, lasted for about fifteen minutes.
The Yobe state police spokesman, Mr. Toyin Gbadegesin has confirmed that the attack took place, saying it appears to be in reprisal for an incident earlier in the day, when a gang sought to rob the market but was fought off by traders who caught one of the attackers.
According to a medical source who claimed anonymity “the 34 bodies have been deposited at the hospital and the toll is likely to more than 50 dead because families are also burying relatives’ bodies without bringing them to the hospital.”
The man who was caught during the robbery attempt was doused in petrol and a tyre was placed around his neck before he was burnt to death.
A group of gunmen armed with explosives and assault rifles, later attacked the cattle market in the evening, throwing the explosives in the market and shooting indiscriminately.
They also set the market ablaze, killing lots of livestock and wounding many people, mostly cattle dealers.
Residents described a terrifying scene at the market usually crowded with traders, with scores of cattle burnt, the market razed and dozens of people killed.
One resident said fire-fighters were at the scene this morning searching water wells out of fears that residents had fallen in and drowned while trying to flee.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
