#BBC - 'Villages attacked' in north Nigeria

[BBC]

  Continue reading the main story   “Start Quote

Smoke was billowing from our town as I left”

End Quote Samuel Chibok Survivor of attack       In one incident on Sunday, the militants apparently opened fire during an early morning church service in a village called Kwadakau, killing several people.

Local people appealed for help.

A text message from a resident in the region reported an attack on another village, called Kautikari.

Quoted by the Premium Times paper, it said: "Massive attack on Kautikari now. All security agencies should be notified, and call for divine help now."

 Who are Boko Haram?   Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has been designated a terrorist by the US government  

• Founded in 2002
• Initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
• Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
• Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
• Some three million people affected
• Declared terrorist group by US in 2013

Who are Boko Haram?

Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau

Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram

 A man who survived the Kautikari attack said some 20 men arrived in a pick-up truck and motorbikes, Reuters reported.

"Initially I thought they were military but when I came out, they were firing at people. I saw people fleeing and they burned our houses," Samuel Chibok was quoted as saying.

"Smoke was billowing from our town as I left."

The BBC's Will Ross, in the commercial capital Lagos, says a Nigerian air force plane has been seen flying over the area.

However residents of these extremely vulnerable villages often complain that there are not nearly enough soldiers deployed in the area and they have been calling on the government to arm the vigilante force, our correspondent adds.


Source: BBC