Boko Haram ambush death toll hits 69

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) -

At least 69 people died in a Boko Haram ambush of an oil exploration team in northeast Nigeria, as three men kidnapped by the jihadists made a video appeal.

Experts said the attack -- Boko Haram's bloodiest this year -- underscored the persistent threat it poses, despite government claims the group is a spent force.

"So far the death toll stands at 69," said an aid agency worker involved in the recovery of bodies after the attack in the Magumeri area of Borno state on Tuesday.

The worker, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said 19 soldiers, 33 civilian militia and 17 civilians were killed.

"The last body was recovered Friday in the bush in the Geidam district of neighbouring Yobe state, which is several kilometres from the scene of the ambush," he told AFP.

"It shows the victim, who had gunshot wounds, died after trekking a long distance. There could be more such victims in the bush."

Another source with knowledge of the rescue operation gave the death toll as "70 or more" and also said it was unclear whether all the victims had been accounted for.

The attack hit Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation staff.

"It's a confirmation of the boldness and reassurance that Boko Haram has managed to gain over the last six weeks," said Yan St-Pierre, from the Modern Security Consulting Group.

"They have been attacking more and more military outposts and more military convoys. For them to go after NNPC personnel just shows they don't fear any military reprisal.

"Basically they have managed to gain enough resources, enough material, to plan ambushes targeted towards high value targets."

- Video appeal -

News of the rising death toll came after Boko Haram published a four-minute video in which three men identified themselves as being from the University of Maiduguri.

The trio were part of a NNPC team on a mission to find commercial quantities of oil in the Lake Chad basin.

"I want to call on the acting president professor Yemi Osinbajo to come to our rescue to meet the demand," one of the men says in the video, which he said was shot on Friday.

He attributed the attack to the Islamic State-supported Boko Haram faction headed by Abu Mus'ab Al-Barnawi, which has vowed to hit military and government targets.

"They have promised us that if their demands are met they will release us immediately to go back to the work we were caught doing," the man added.

There was no indication of where the video was shot but Magumeri is some 50 kilometres (31 miles) by road northwest of Maiduguri.

University of Maiduguri spokesman Danjuma Gambo confirmed the identities of the three kidnapped men in the video.

"They are our staff but one more is yet to be accounted for," he told AFP.

Five members of staff from the university -- two lecturers, two technologists and a driver -- were killed, vice-chancellor Ibrahim Njodi said on Friday.

He told reporters the university had been hesitant to send staff with the NNPC team but had been assured about security.

Nigeria is searching for oil in the northeast to try to reduce its reliance on supplies from the Niger delta, where militant attacks have slashed production.

- Suicide bombings -

Kidnapping has been a feature of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed at least 20,000, displaced more than 2.6 million and left millions of others on the brink of famine.

Thousands of women and girls have been seized, to be married off to fighters, used as sex slaves or suicide bombers, while men and boys have been made to fight in the Islamist ranks.

The al-Barnawi faction differs from fighters loyal to Boko Haram's long-time leader Abubakar Shekau in that it disagrees with the indiscriminate targeting of civilians.

On Friday, two suicide bombers struck a camp for displaced people in Dikwa, 90 kilometres (56 miles) east of Maiduguri, killing eight, said local government official Rawa Gana Modu.

In Bama, 70 kilometres (45 miles) southeast of Maiduguri, three young female suicide bombers were killed when their explosives detonated prematurely on Thursday.

"A fourth bomber, an 11-year-old girl, was too frightened to pull the trigger," said Babakura Kolo, a member of the civilian militia group.

"She succeeded in removing her vest and sneaked into town. She was found and taken into custody."

Yahoo - ABC News Network

https://www.yahoo.com/news/kidnapped-oil-workers-speak-boko-haram-video-092000786.html

Fvck up.

Where is this country heading to self? Lawd haf Ma'cy

Hmmm Bokoharam are more like zombies like they were hypotanize

Govt of shameless liars

And army spokesperson would tell us "lubbish"... Lai would tell BH has been defeated. Kanu was right, Nigeria is a zoo if we rely on interntional media to report our own news.

Buratai must step up his game. I need both el barnawi & shekau's head on a plate.

They (APC goons and the demon, Lai Mohammed) actually thought Jonathan was romancing Boko Haram all his 5 years in power now they know better. Jonathan was right after all about these useless bunch of lying liars in power.

Believe me or not, 1slam is the caused of 70% of terrorism in the whole world.
This terror will never stop. Unless we stop 1slam. 1slam does not belong to us.
We need to de1slamize our societies. Urgently. No more.
1slam is no different from Nazi, 1slam is a cancer to the society. Most of them up North are hard drugs abusing brainwashed fanatic.
I totally need a country without 1slam.

amjoseph19:
Believe me or not, 1slam is the caused of 70% of terrorism in the whole world.

More like 99%

.

During Gej time, this kind news no dey waste time reach front page. mynd44 abi na myd44 this is a front page material.

Everytime I look at this picture I ask myself, how did we not see this coming?....


This people still get mind to dey lie to us after deceiving us in 2015....


Nigerians have to do something particularly about this apc leadership

I think the best way to reduce boko haram attacks is by enlightening those core northerners on why they should value human lives as well as engaging them in honest profitable jobs.

odiegwu ooooo.

What's the difference between shekau and bihari?

The two of them are Islamic bigots hellbent on destroying this peaceful country.

Why the renewed intense attacks under Acting President Osinbajo? Is there anything Northern Muslim politicians are not telling Nigerians

Nigerian Army has just been feeding us with lies lately.

God will surely punish this APC government for telling us Boko Haram has been technically defeated.

This APC government can lie eeeehhhnnn!!......lying liars!!!.... And one APC nigger has successfully infected the Army with "lying Syndrome"....smh

Painful

APC, northern elites, Nigeria Army and all faceless sponsors of Boko Haram...

Keep feeding us propaganda and cover-ups

Continue sending people who voted for you and bought your 'change'mantra to their death and anihilation

Keep on sacrificing our virile young men in uniform and civilian to the slaughter on the altar of falsehood

Karma is just waiting to visit you and your progeny

When the army came out with their lies on rescuing the workers I knew it was a lie and stated that the army just went to recover bodies from the bush and at no time was there a confrontation with BH to release the captured workers.

Buhari is a DISASTER!

It is not a coincidence that Boko Haram attacks have increased after the swap deal,and ransom the Nigerian government paid.

Some people were comparing it with Niger Delta militancy,and are even giving them amnesty.

Terrorism is an ideology and nobody gives them amnesty,de-radicalize or negotiates with them.

I am not a harbinger of bad news,but Nigerians should prepare their minds,this may not be last of high profile attacks,more may come in their foreseeable future.

...

hmmm...
May their souls, regardless of the political propaganda and tiki-taka-esque modus operandi employed by the govt to 'pass' wrong figures at the slightest opportunity, rest in Perfect Peace Amen.

But

Awon G ti bere news platform ni?

Ni tori oloun, kini yahoo news?

yahoo bawo?

Nice one,


Once I see the number '69', only one thing comes to my mind

69 is too small to be considered a calamity..