Hundreds of Boko Haram members may have been killed in Damaturu, following Monday’s deadly attack on the Yobe State capital.
That number could be even higher, as the Hausa service of the BBC is reporting over 300 members of the militia to have died in the battle.
The Islamic militants, who arrived in many utility vehicles and motorcycles, deployed many deadly weapons in the onslaught. They burnt down several blocks of buildings at the State University, the MOPOL base, some public schools and many other places.
Health workers and security sources have put the death toll in Monday’s attack by Boko Haram in Damaturu, Yobe State at over 220 even as more corpses were evacuated from the streets yesterday.
The dead included over Boko Haram militants, six soldiers, and 33 policemen. The Yobe State police spokesman, Nansel Chagwang, was also killed in the attack, a security source said.
A 24-hour curfew announced by the state government after soldiers repelled the militants in a bloody battle Monday kept residents indoors, while workers from the state Ministry of Environment, NEMA and the Red Cross picked up the bodies.
Residents around Gujba and Gashua roads, New Jerusalem, Nasarawa, GRA, the Damaturu major roundabout said corpses inundated their abode.
The security source said many civilians were also killed in the attack, adding that “Collation of the casualty figure is still on. Some militants and civilians died in the bush while fleeing.”
“The state’s police spokesman, Nansel Chagwang, was among the officers killed”, he said.
According to the source, while fleeing, the surviving militants loaded bodies of their dead colleagues into four Hilux vans and went away with them.
The BBC report said that Nigerian soldiers were jubilating in Damaturu over the victory.
