Boko Haram assault on Maiduguri leaves scores dead in Nigeria

At least 15 people killed as armed group launch rocket-propelled grenades and activate suicide bombers in northern city.

Multiple suicide bombings, grenade attacks, and a shoot-out killed at least 50 people and hurt at least 100, many of them women and children.

The Nigerian Army reviewing the bloody events of the last 48 hours said Boko Haram in a well planned move, despatched 14 suicide bombers to cause mayhem and panic in the city, that has borne the major brunt of the insurgency crisis since 2009. About 20,000 people have been killed in Nigeria and hundreds others elsewhere as the insurgents have carried their conflict across its borders into Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

The nurse said the hospital was so overflowing with patients that some had to be cared for in the maternity ward.

“From all indications, the suspects were in Kaduna to conduct suicide bombings, kill and maim innocent citizens in the state and other surrounding areas during the festive period”, Usman said.

The guard at the hospital said he counted about 70 people who arrived overnight, a lot of them lifeless.

In a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, President Muhammadu Buhari had admitted that the Nigerian military might not meet the December 2015 deadline, but that the military was winning the war.

The later attacks in Madagali, with two young female suicide bombers, left 30 dead and at least 16 wounded, according to a local government official who asked not to be named.

Numerous attacks were from female suicide bombers planted by the insurgents on the town after confrontations with the military believed to be a decoy.

Victor Ezugwu, the officer commanding in northeast Adamawa State, confirmed the attack but said casualties are still being determined, the AP reported.

“The government is working with various worldwide agencies to make sure those at the internally displaced persons camps are fully rehabilitated”, he said, adding the nation is soon getting over with the emergency issues. “Boko Haram is an organized fighting force, I assure you, [but] we have dealt with them”.

Nigeria’s Information Minister has insisted that the country’s military has largely defeated the Boko Haram insurgency plaguing the country for years.

“I think, technically, we have won the war”, he said.

There was a second attack, army commander Lamidi Adeoshun told reporters, but no more details were immediately available.