Culled from BBC

Intense fighting between the military and Islamist militants in north Nigeria is reported to have killed at least 185 civilians and destroyed 2,000 homes.

Rocket-propelled grenades and heavy gunfire bombarded the remote town of Baga near the border with Chad for hours on Friday evening, government and military officials say.

Nigeria faces a long-running insurgency in its predominantly Muslim north.

The Boko Haram insurgency has left thousands of people dead since 2009.
'Markets burnt'

Residents of Baga fled into the bush and only returned on Sunday afternoon to find much of the town destroyed and human and animal corpses strewn through the streets.
Map

One local journalist said this marked a significant escalation in the insurgency in the area, with the militants using heavier weapons than in previous attacks.

Residents said most of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition in blazes that had destroyed much of the town.

One resident, Bashir Isa, told Associated Press: "Everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning to town because the governor came.

"To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking corpses of women and children in the bush and creeks.''

Boko Haram wants to carve out an Islamic state across a swathe of Nigeria.

Its name in the local Hausa language means: "Western education is forbidden".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22243834

Thought we were progress on the amnesty stuff...It is high time GEJ learn from the Boston episode where 9000 police men were deployed to bring two boys to book for causing the death of three people..

It's high time Nigeria created an elite fighting force that can engage enemy combatants like these and still minimise collateral damage. JTF are trying but more is needed.

Jesus christ!!!! N u think d situation there is not degenrating into a civil war? Please Nigerian executives should swallow dia pride and call for foreign intervention in this insurgency, it is getting to an extreme episode here!!! N we re talking about human lives; pls for Godd sake

Terrible news for the WEEK!

So sad about those that lost their lives. But was it the soldiers that torched the village? The govt should really intensify their efforts in curbing this menace so innocent Nigerians can feel safe in their own country.

splashbaby: Thought we were progress on the amnesty stuff...It is high time GEJ learn from the Boston episode where 9000 police men were deployed to bring two boys to book for causing the death of three people..

Some people will accuse him, insult him and curse him if he deploy 10,000 soldiers to fight 10 people. Some of you would post rubbish on nairaland.

He sent less than 100 to Lagos the other day Bakare and his co horts including thugs and rascals created a bad scene and everyone including Gov. Fashola sent rude messages to him, you guys insulted him saying he should have left the rascals alone while they parade the streets.

Obasanjo due to his past military training will NEVER ever bow to boko haram (through amnesty)... If it were to be Obj, Borno state would have been wiped out of the Nation. But because of what people would say, because of the insults, because of the pressure on our president, Borno state is still existing. How can a community house terrorists? Why should a town with rulers, chiefs, kings, chairmen accomodate terrorists?

Only Okene people in Kogi st can explain better, ask them what Obasanjo did to them when they started their crisis..
I'm sure if it were to be Goodluck, he would have granted those bad boys amnesty with N100,000/monthly each...


I'm afraid our President would keep granting amnesty till he resigns... He did it once (a costly mistake!), so he'll keep doing it! Watch out, the Ibaji/Anambra boys are next on the amnesty pay roll! This thing will never end!

The only remedy is: KILL THEM ALL! Kill those carrying the arms, Kill those sponsoring them, kill those housing these boys, arrest the royal fathers who knew about their presence in the community and arrest all the close relatives..

Thats the only solution.

^^^You're sick man. Very disgusting post.

^^^You're sick man. Very disgusting post. Speaking from both sides of the mouth.

maasoap: ^^^You're sick man. Very disgusting post.

why?

Nigeria is gradually turning to a state of anarchy,seems 2015 prediction of our breakup is imminent now. GEJ,please act fast to curb the situation,before it escalate to war.

maasoap: ^^^You're sick man. Very disgusting post. Speaking from both sides of the mouth.

You are the sick clown here. He made much sense.