Men pray during a burial ceremony
MAIDUGURI (Nigeria), July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 65 people have lost their lives after suspected Boko Haram militants opened fire on a funeral in Nigeria’s north-eastern state of Borno.
Gunmen arrived on motorcycles and in vans at the village near the state capital, Maiduguri, on Saturday, eyewitnesses say.
A number of mourners were reportedly killed straight away, while others died trying to chase off the attackers.
Local government official Muhammed Bulama said he thought the latest attack was in revenge for the killing of 11 Boko Haram fighters by the villagers two weeks ago.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, and ordered the air force and army to hunt down those who carried it out.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than two million displaced over the past decade of conflict.
Boko Haram, fighting to overthrow the Nigerian government, is also active in the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
In 2015, it was ranked the world’s deadliest terror group by the Institute for Economics and Peace.
Territory controlled by the group has declined in recent years and it has splintered into competing factions. — NNN-AGENCIES
