Villagers on Wednesday described the carnage unleashed by a huge market bomb explosion in the Boko Haram’s northeastern heartland as the death toll rose to 50.
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Kidda, who saw bodies being taken away, said the market had been busy when the explosion occurred.
A source at a hospital in the town of Biu told a local newspaper that 41 people had been admitted for injuries, and that many of those who had died were “mostly burnt or battered beyond recognition”.
The explosive device “was hidden in a bag used to disperse herbicides”. It was smuggled into the market and apparently abandoned…
“The Nigerian army has pushed Boko Haram from its base in Nigeria”, he added.
Benin, Cameroun, Chad, Niger and Nigeria have all pledged troops towards the new force.
President Deby also claimed that by the end of the year the war against Boko Haram will be over. Since then, more than 900 people have been killed in Nigeria alone (according to statistics compiled by the AFP news agency).
“For my part, I would advise not to negotiate with a terrorist“, Deby, whose country has been spearheading the regional fightback against Boko Haram, said. He said some arrests were made.
Buhari’s victory triggered a wave of optimism for oil-rich Nigeria, which has Africa’s biggest population and economy but many deep and seemingly intractable problems. The latest was in October, when Nigeria’s military announced a ceasefire accord after talks in Chad mediated by Mr Deby on the release of the kidnapped schoolgirls in return for Boko Haram prisoners.
Ousmaila Ibrahim, 45, said he was one of the 72 captives, including 20 men, 50 boys and two girls. The Takfiri group’s militancy has claimed the lives of some 15,000 people over the past years.
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Meanwhile, thousands of Nigerians have been blocked from travelling overseas in a bid to stop them becoming involved in foreign terrorism, prostitution or other criminal activity, immigration officials said on Tuesday.
