Around 100 killed in 'Boko Haram' attack in NE Nigeria

Maiduguri, Jul 2: Suspected Boko Haram militants killed close to 100 people in attacks on homes and mosques in a northeastern Nigerian village, witnesses said today.

"The attackers have killed at least 97 people," a local from Kukawa village, who gave his name as Kolo and who said he had counted the bodies, told AFP.

A fisherman who witnessed Wednesday's attack corroborated the

toll. "They wiped out the immediate family of my uncle...They killed his children, about five of them, and set his entire house ablaze," Kolo said.

Another witness called Babami Alhaji Kolo who fled to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state where the attack took place, said more than 50 militants stormed the village early Wednesday evening.

"The terrorists first descended on Muslim worshippers in various mosques who were observing the Maghrib prayer shortly after breaking their fast," he said.

"They... opened fire on the worshippers who were mostly men and young children. "They spared nobody.

In fact, while some of the terrorists waited and set most of the corpses on fire, others proceeded to houses and shot indiscriminately at women who were preparing food," he said.

(AFP)