At least 81 killed in suspected Boko Haram attack in Nigeria

At least 81 people died and several were missing after an attack by suspected Boko Haram jihadists in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe State, local officials told AFP on Tuesday (Sep 3)

"Around 150 suspected Boko Haram terrorists armed with rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) attacked Mafa ward on more than 50 motorcycles around 1600 hours on Sunday," said Abdulkarim Dungus, a Yobe state police spokesman.

"They killed many people and burnt many shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack."

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Bulama Jalaluddeen, a local official, added: "From these figures it has been established that at least 81 people were killed in the attack."

Abdulkarim said the attack in Yobe's Mafa village was apparent retaliation for the killing of two suspectedBokoHaram fighters by local vigilantes.

After shooting at the market and torching buildings, the militants chased other residents into the bush and shot them, Abdulkarim added.

"The terrorists killed many people, but we are yet to ascertain the actual number of casualties," Abdulkarim said.

A military official who accompanied the army's commanding officer for Yobe to Mafa on Monday evening said the route to the village had been rigged with explosives, which troops managed to defuse.

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"We recovered corpses and brought them to Babangida General Hospital," said the official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Modu Mohammed, a resident, said several more residents were missing and estimated the death toll at over 100. He said some corpses were still in the bush.

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