As part of efforts to curtail the activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, military authorities in Abuja say a new approach to contain the activities of the terrorists through renewed counter-terrorism campaign has been put in place.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja, Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade said the terrorists are simply out to intimidate people into subscribing to their false claim of invincibility and reinvent relevance by embarking on renewed attacks on soft targets.
General Olukolade who appealed to residents of the north east to report unusual movement to security agencies, reaffirmed the commitment of the security agencies to stop members of the sect from causing further mayhem in the country.
Several people were killed in an early dawn attack by the Boko Haram sect in Adamawa and Borno states. At the Catholic Seminary, near Lassa in Borno state, at least five bodies were recovered. Two security men and three catholic nuns were among the dead.
An unspecified number of people were killed in Michika, Adamawa state, with several sensitive public facilities burnt. An unconfirmed report claimed that nine people were killed in the attack.
Some of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria on phone on Thursday that the attackers arrived the town around 9pm to unleash the mayhem for about five hours.
“They burnt three banks, a police station, shops and part of the Michika Local Government Council secretariat. They came in nine Toyota Hilux vans firing guns and throwing explosives,” a resident who simply identified himself as Fide said.
It was further learnt that several people were injured in the attacks while efforts were on to get more of the injured and those killed from nearby bushes. The scores of suspected Boko Haram Islamists who carried out the attack were armed with grenade launchers and explosives.
