Boko Haram Kills Scores Of UTME Candidates In Borno

Socres of students travelling to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Borno State have been reportedly killed by the Boko Haram sect.

They were among several persons that lost their lives in multiple attacks unleashed by the dreaded sect in four communities.

The Senator representing Borno Central in the Senate, Zannah Ahmed, on Friday, accused the military of complicity in Thursday attack on part of troubled Borno State where he claimed that 210 people were killed in attacks on four towns.

The towns included Dikwa, Kala Balge, Gambulga and
Gwoza.

The senator claimed that the attackers were all dressed in military uniforms and spoke English language.

This was a departure from the Hausa and Kanuri language spoken by the Boko Haram insurgents.

He even lamented that authorities of the military post in Gamboru, which purportedly received a distressed call from the people of Kala Balge avoided the town, claiming that it was not in its area of command.

The senator who said he was compelled to speak out because his people were being killed on a daily basis, added “what happened in Borno was beyond understanding.”

He said: “It is a must for me to speak since the people lives are involved and they are my people. All these are happening in my constituency and it will be wrong to keep quiet. I feel so much pained and would not have spoken but definitely my conscience will not let me do that.”

He alleged that 210 people were slaughtered by marauders, who dressed in military uniforms and attacked the towns in two armored personnel cars and seven double cabin pickups.

According to him, they attacked a Teachers College in Dikwa and killed seven people, burnt down the school library and administrative block.

He said Kala Balge was the most devastated as 60 people were killed by the armed men who went on the rampage.

He said after they left Kala Balge they attacked three other towns in the area where a total of 150 persons were killed.

Our correspondent made repeated efforts to call the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, without success as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.

Our correspondent also sent a text message to the Defence Spokesman which had not been replied as of the time of filing the story.

A security source, however, said that the insurgents laid ambush for a group of students who were on their way to Biu from Maiduguri to write Senior the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination scheduled for Saturday April, 2014.

It was learnt that the JAMB candidates were riding in eight vehicles were they ran into the insurgents ambush.

It was, however, not clear whether the insurgents got the all occupants of the eight vehicles or not.

He stated however that the incident took place on Wednesday evening.