IGP, Mohammed Abubakar
Seven traders and a technician were yesterday killed by Boko Haram at a popular market in Maiduguri.
The fundamentalists who came fully armed into the Monday Market, the biggest market in Borno, at about 2pm went into the section of the market where wares that are traded by Igbo merchants were on display according to a witness.
They shot at eight persons and seven of those that were killed happened to be Christians and a lone Muslim, simply as Taju was also fell by their bullets, the witness said.
A police official confirmed the killing to THISDAY, insisting that seven Christians traders were shot dead at the market.
He also confirmed that besides the seven Christians, a television and radio technician by name Taju was also shot dead in his shop by gunmen bringing the numbers of those killed to 8.
Spokesman of the Police in Borno State, Samuel Tizhe, who spoke in a telephone interview with journalists last night said: " Seven traders were killed by suspected Boko Haram members while three others sustained injury".
" I can confirm to you that seven traders were shot dead today by gunmen suspected to be members of the boko haram. Three other civilians also sustained injury during the attack at Monday Market." Tizhe said.
The spokesman however said the situation is "now calm. We have reinforced security in and around the state."
Meanwhile, also confirming the attack on the market, the Joint Task Force JTF spokesman Lt-Col Musa Sagirsaid: "Information at the disposal of JTF indicated that there was a rumour going round Maiduguri town that three people were shot dead by suspected members of Boko Haram in Monday market at about 2pm today (yesterday)."
He said this led to serious apprehension which made some people to close their shops, disclosing that when the JTF heard the news they went to the market to confirm the attack.
Musa said it was at this point that sporadic shooting which lasted for about five minutes was heard and when it ended a man was found dead.
He said patrol had been intensified around the market with cordon and search conducted around the area including residential quarters.
Musa disclosed that the soldiers were able to recover a double barrel gun with 29 rounds of ammunition and claimed that normalcy has been restored.
The spokesman who lamented that no arrest was made, said effort is on to bring the gunmen to book.
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