ABUJA, Feb 10 (Reuters) - At least 30 people have been
killed in Nigeria's northeastern Borno region after suspected
Boko Haram Islamists set ablaze several trucks carrying
passengers on Sunday night, eyewitnesses and residents told
Reuters.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the Boko
Haram group and rival Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA)
splinter group have often carried out attacks in the area.
The passengers were stranded on Sunday evening along a
military check point due to the curfew imposed by the military
in the town of Auno before the attack happened at around 2100
GMT, resident Bunu Ali who witnessed the attack said.
Auno is a town 24 km (15 miles) from Maiduguri, the state
capital. Eyewitness said the insurgents attacked on motorbikes
shooting sporadically. They set at least 18 vehicles ablaze and
abducted several people, another eyewitness said.
Nigerian Army Commander said the casualty figure was much
smaller because the military had recovered 10 bodies on Monday.
The commander said the military closed the road at 1500 GMT to
curb insurgency.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday condemned the attack,
adding that the was receiving more military hardware and
intelligence to counter the current security challenges, a
statement from the presidential office said.
Borno state is the epicentre of the Boko Haram and ISWA
insurgency. The conflict has lasted a decade, during which time
the militants have killed thousands and millions have fled from
their homes in the region.