Nigerian troops, Boko Haram clash in army chief’s village

“Most of the dead were killed with axes and machetes” said Mustafa Karemba, a civilian guard who helps the army in the fight against the Islamist insurgents.

Troops reinforcements from a military base in the town of Biu, 30 kilometres from Buratai, were seen passing through Miringa.

It is believed that the attacks are in retaliation to recent military gains against the Boko Haram insurgents, a mission led by the Chief of Army Staff, under the Operation Lafya Dole with headquarters in Maiduguri, the epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Army chief Gen. Tukur Buratai made the decision after ordering a legal review of secret courts-martial held past year under his predecessor, according to a Ministry of Defense statement.

While another witness said that Warwara was the village that suffered the most bloodshed with attackers killing 20 people.

This latest attack comes as Boko Haram fighters have intensified their attacks on Buratai and nearby settlements.

The last major attack by Boko Haram had, in fact, happened just a few days ago – on Thursday when at least 14 people were killed in a village called Kamuya. The village was also partially burned down as the men left.

Nigeria’s government has vowed to end the Boko Haram insurgency by this month but the deadline looks likely to be missed as attacks persist.

The federal government on Friday raised the alarm that Boko Haram terrorists operating in the northeast are planning to abduct school pupils, students or foreigners in a desperate effort to raise funds, through ransom, for food, medical and arms supply.

There has, however, been a spike in suicide attacks in Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The sect has killed over 18,000 and displaced around 2.6 million people since 2009.