No fewer than 70 members of a fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram were reported killed in the early hours of Sunday as the group engaged security agents in a bitter battle in Bauchi, capital of Bauchi State.

Already, a dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed on the state capital just as 176 suspected members of the radical group have been arrested by the police. 15 persons who sustained varying degrees of injuries in the clash are said to be receiving medical attention in different hospitals in Bauchi.

Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed 39 deaths. Eye-witnesses said, however, that the dead are more than that number.
Awwal Isa, a nurse at the Bauchi Specialist Hospital, told AFP that a total of 42 bodies had been deposited at the hospital.

Trouble started early in the day when members of the group, numbering hundreds, sacked the Dutsen Tanshi Police Station around the Federal Low-cost Housing Estate.
After chasing away the few policemen on duty at the station, the fundamentalists broke into the station and devastated the entire place. Their attempts to break into the armoury were unsuccessful, however.
Armed soldiers and anti-riot policemen were promptly drafted to the place. In the ensuing battle, many members of the sect were killed and wounded.

An unidentified soldier was also killed just as two policemen received gunshot wounds. The base of the group in Bauchi was completely pulled down by the security agents who are also combing the surrounding hills in search of the fundamentalists.

it is gathered that members of the sect have, for many months, been planning a demonstration in Bauchi, but have been rebuffed by the state government. Some government officials were said to have expressed concern that the doctrine of the sect believed to be anti-West could lead to a religious crisis in the state. Some of their teachings are believed to be completely contrary to the teachings of Islam, especially as regards peaceful co-existence with other religions.

Bauchi State Police spokesman, Mohammed Barau, who confirmed the clashes, said more policemen had been drafted into the area to maintain order. He added that more security measures were being taken to ensure that the crisis did not spread beyond the area.

Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Yakubu Lame said the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo, has been ordered to ensure peace and security of lives and property of innocent citizens across the country. In his words, “in-as-much-as the Federal Government is committed to freedom of religion, it will not condone any acts that might lead to the breakdown of law and order in the country.”
The Director of Press Affairs to the Governor, Mohammed Maigari Khanna and other top government functionaries declined to make comments on the development, but promised that as soon as the situation was properly studied, government would make its position public.

The radical sect made its debut in 2004 when it set up a base dubbed Afghanistan in Kanamma village in northern Yobe State, on the border with the Niger Republic, from where it attacked police outposts and killed police officers. Its membership is mainly drawn from university dropouts.
One of the leaders of the group, Aminu Tashen-Ilimi, had told AFP in a 2005 interview that the group’s mission was to lead an armed insurrection in a bid to rid the society of immorality and infidelity.

samparian:

it is gathered that members of the sect have, for many months, been planning a demonstration in Bauchi, but have been rebuffed by the state government. Some government officials were said to have expressed concern that the doctrine of the sect believed to be anti-West could lead to a religious crisis in the state. Some of their teachings are believed to be completely contrary to the teachings of Islam, especially as regards peaceful co-existence with other religions.

Really? How about we just stop abusing this lie?

@davidylan
i dont get you. what lie?

50 confirmed dead!! Just watched the news here on CABLE

And them say we be one naija.

How do you live/relate with these brainwashed homicidal maniacs?

On saturday, a bomb went off in maiduguri when another sect was assembling their local bombs in preparation for attacking enemies of islam.

Their "bomb specialist" died in the blast

There is no greater goal of a religious fundamentalist than to die and go to heaven, so the death of all those lemmings in Bauchi should be regarded as as cause for celebration by EVERYBODY, since the world is rid of a few more nutcases, which is cause for great jubilation, AND, the families of the departed can rejoice that their loved ones are sitting on the lap of some bearded guy suspended up in the clouds, as opposed to simply rotting like so many dead dogs in the ground.

In short we are talking about a win-win outcome that should satisfy those who bask in lifelong illusions of immortality, while also also delighting those who find the victims of such ridiculous hallucinations amusing but dangerous.

Praise the Lord !

The US, bastion of democracy has a way of "negotiating" with religious extremists, they send in heavy weaponry (ask the late David Karesh).
. . .In 9ja we send heavy weponry to Gbaramatu, while bleeped up crazies are allowed to run about the place, only copping it when they attack state security. Damn!

Its good they are killing themselves now instead of other tribes.
Idiots!

na small small e dey take start; like play, like play.

What is wrong with these animals? There is real fire on the mountain and no body seems to care at all.

O boy, see groove! These people think say government go give them free hand. They don't have oil, they don't have any political cause.

Dozens dead already. Na wah O!

By the way, Boko Haram means Formal Education's an Abomination.