Boko Haram militants today attacked a Borno market, and as a result more than 20 traders are said to have been killed, an eyewitness confirmed.
A resident of Maiduguri, Talatu Musa, who was traveling from Damaturu, said the militants stormed Mainok market around 1.20pm and opened fire indiscriminately on traders. Many sustained various degrees of injuries, though travelers were the intended victims of the ugly attack.
“I boarded a Hummer bus from Jos and as soon as we arrived Mainok, at exactly 1.20pm, we heard heavy gunshots from the western part of the market and sporadic gunshots followed. Hundreds of traders and residents fled the market in confusion, running to cross the highway to the other side. Vehicles passing through the town were also making attempts to flee the town. Many people were killed,” Musa said.
“As I am speaking with you I can’t believe what I have seen today,” she disclosed.
James Bitrus, another traveler who escaped and spoke with SaharaReporters at a Borno express park said “Many people may have been killed. I can’t say the number precisely but many people were killed. From the way the militants were shooting at the crowd, the casualties should be many,” he said.
He added saw many of the fleeing residents get hit by vehicles speeding off from the area. “Vehicles were hitting one another and Boko Haram kept shooting,” he said.
Mainok is in the western part of Borno State, and about 50 kilometres from Maiduguri. Boko haram had killed more than one hundred travelers this year when they attacked Mainok and Beniseik in March.
Meanwhile, commuters are now panicking during travel on Maiduguri-Damaturu road, which used to be the safest route, because Boko Haram has taken over all other roads that link Maiduguri with other states.
