18 people have been killed in an attack suspected to have been carried out by Islamist militant group Boko Haram in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri.
Local media reported that some 84 people were also reported to have been wounded in the attack which took place late on Sunday, days after the government had said it was in talk with the group o end his insurgency.
An official from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA),Benlo Dambatto told AFP that “So far we have recovered 18 dead bodies from the two villages Bale Shuwa and Bale Kura,” on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
“The victims were killed while trying to escape the fight between the insurgents and the military,” the emergency official further said.
Last week the Nigerian government has said that it was in talks with the Islamist militant group for a possible ceasefire deal.
Nigeria’s information minister said that the aim of these talks would be to ensure the permanent end to hostilities and securing the safety of citizens.
“Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now,” Information Minister Lai Mohammed said in a statement.
The latest attack in Borno State appears to have put those claims of ongoing talks in doubt.
Millions have been displaced due to the activities of Boko Haram with thousands also dead in several attacks carried out by the group since 2009.
Source: Africafeeds.com
