Boko Haram Kills 20 In Borno Landmine Blast

About 20 people comprising fishers and wood loggers have been killed and an unspecified number of persons wounded when a landmine suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists exploded on the outskirts of Gwoza local government area of Borno State, local sources said yesterday.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 11am on Thursday at the resettled village of Hambagda, a few kilometres from Gwoza town.

According to the CivilianJTF source, the victims were loggers who went in search of firewood to support their families.

“It was a sad day for us in Gwoza town, we lost about 20 loggers and several others sustained gunshot wounds. The terrorists planted improvised explosive devices IEDs on the route after the explosions, they fired at the helpless civilians,” the source said.

Another source said the victims, mostly farmers and individuals gathering firewood, had gone into nearby bush areas to prepare their lands ahead of the coming rainy season when they were attacked.

Other sources confirmed that 18 bodies had so far been recovered around communities close to Gwoza town. They also warned that the death toll could rise, as several people were still unaccounted for.

Residents said the attackers appeared to be moving through the area in a series of violent raids, raising fresh concerns over security in farming communities as the planting season approaches.