Suspected Boko Haram militants have struck for the fourth time in three days in Nigeria, killing 20 people including a traditional ruler in attacks in the northeast, local government and security officials said Wednesday.
Wednesday morning, gunmen attacked the village of Wala, in Gwoza district, and killed 18 people, according to a local government official and an intelligence agent, the AP reported.
“They simply walked right into the palace of the monarch and shot him in his bedroom, and on their way out they also shot his guard before fleeing,” said local politician Hyeldi Bwala.
Just last week the emir of embattled Gwoza district had appealed to the government to “save our souls,” saying his people are being attacked daily.
The emir, Idrissa Timta, had indicated security forces were inadequate and said he might have to flee to neighboring Cameroon “where we may perhaps get protection.”
“We in Gwoza have suffered too many attacks, killings and destruction,” he said. “Our people have been forced to flee, our markets no longer operate optimally, food items, goods and wares are no longer coming in … We want action from government so that lives can be saved.”
By Tuesday, one of his local monarchs was dead.
The unprecedented string of attacks, which started with a massive explosion in the capital that killed at least 75 people, has many questioning the ability of Nigeria’s military to contain the 5-year-old Islamic uprising. It has killed more than 1,500 people this year alone, compared to an estimated 3,600 between 2010 and 2013. A pmnews.com report.
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