Massacre in Borno: 14 mosque workers slaughtered

 

By: TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri

Fourteen construction workers working at the site of the Maiduguri Central Mosque were killed in the early hours of yesterday by suspected terrorists, while one was injured. Sources said the assailants had sneaked into the residence of the construction workers in the Bolori Area at about 1.30am.

“We didn’t actually know about the killings until the early hours of today (Monday) after the subhi (early morning) prayer,” one of the residents of the area said. However, another resident claimed he heard the victims “screaming and shouting for help” in the night.

He wondered how many people were being killed in their houses in the night despite the 6:00p.m – 6:00a.m curfew imposed by the state government. Residents said that they were shocked when they saw the JTF troops bringing out the corpses of the victims.

“We counted 14 dead bodies slaughtered,” the residents revealed. A military personnel attached to Joint Task Force (JTF) said the security outfit rushed to the compound at about 6:00a.m and saw the dead bodies.

Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lt Col Sagir Musa confirmed the incident but rather said three people were killed, adding that the task force was alerted at about 6.05a.m yesterday. His words: “Information available to the JTF Operation Restore Order revealed that some construction workers working at the Shehu of Borno Central Mosque were massacred by suspected terrorists at about 1.45 hours.

He said the corpses were deposited at the mortuary of the Borno State Specialist Hospital. “No arrest was made. Effort is on to apprehend the culprits,” he said. Lt Col Musa said the victims were living in a compound located at Bolori General Area of Maiduguri metropolis.

He said the incident was reported to the task force after the assailants had completed what he called “their dastardly act” and fled the area.

Culled: Sunnewsonline