Encomium
Over 400 lives have been lost with many others wounded by the incessant bombings and blasts suspected to be carried out by insurgents, who appear to have vowed that Nigeria will never know peace.
The terrorists who have since pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), go by the moniker, Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) have stepped up their attacks since Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as president on May 29. And have within five months, been responsible for the death of more than 400 people, with a single blast claiming as many 63 lives!
The military, reassuring Nigerians have urged that the purported audio recording of the leader of the Boko Haram terror group, Abubakar Shekau, should be discountenanced, calling it a mere concoction and its content an empty threat that will not deter its officers.
The Army stated this in a statement signed by spokesperson of the Armed Forces, Col. Rabe Abubakar.
The statement read: “The Armed Forces is using this medium to appeal to the good citizens of Nigeria not to lose sleep over the concocted audio rhetorics of the waning terrorist sect which is a usual antic of a drowning person struggling to hold on to anything to remain afloat.”
Attesting to its victories, it said: “The Armed Forces did not lie about the successes recorded so far in its counterinsurgency operations and for avoidance of doubt, the liberated communities in the North East, which were hitherto under the throes of Boko Haram terrorists, are free for interested persons or bodies to explore.”
Before the military stepped up its counter insurgency operations, however, the terrorists had wreaked havoc across the North East.
JUNE: FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS ON RAMPAGE
TUESDAY, JUNE 16: Abandoned explosives kill 63 in Monguno
The Borno town of Monguno was rocked when a massive explosive from a bag found by members of the Civilian-JTF went off and killed at least 63 people on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, this is according to security sources and witnesses.
Many other onlookers and by-passers were also injured by the blast at about 5pm.
Clearing the air on what actually happened, Haruna Bukar, an operative of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), who claimed to have witnessed the incident said, “It was not an attack by Boko Haram, but explosion from a discovered bag filled with bombs. When they found the bag containing what later turned out to be improvised explosives, they brought it to Monguno town where people gathered to take a look at it. As they were busy fiddling with the content of the bag, the bombs went off with a massive blast that killed about 63 persons and injured dozen others.”
MONDAY, JUNE 22: 30 killed in twin female suicide bomb attacks at busy market in Maiduguri
Not less than 30 people were killed when two female suicide bombers detonated explosives at a busy fish market in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital on Monday, June 22, 2015.
In the words of a witness, “It was a young lady that blew herself up near the mosque where traders were observing Asr (late afternoon) prayers. She had to wait until the traders were deep in the prayer session before she detonated the bomb, killing a large number of persons and injuring many.”
It is, however, believed that the second attacker blew herself up while she was fleeing the market, killing only herself.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23: Female suicide bomber kills 10
Mirroring a similar attack in Maiduguri just 24 hours earlier, a young female suicide bomber killed at least 10 people and injured more than 20 in an attack on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at a market in Gujba, Yobe, several witnesses revealed.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27: Explosion outside hospital claim three, injure several others
Two suicide bombers killed up to three people and wounded 16 outside a hospital in Maiduguri, Borno on Saturday, June 27, 2015.
The two women were said to have tried to get into the hospital. They were, however, stopped by security guards at the gate and then they blew themselves up.
TUESDAY, JUNE 30: Boko Haram attack sister villages, kill 48 males, severely injure others
The night of Tuesday, June 30 was a bloody for locals of Mussaram-I and Mussaram-II in Monguno Local Government as terrorists launched a nocturnal attack on the villages, according to sources, where they rounded up all the men and opened fire on them.
Maidugu Bida, a local vigilante group commander in Monguno town told journalists “A total of 48 persons all males died on the spot while 17 others escaped with serious injuries”.
JULY: BLOODY MONTH AS TERRORISTS STEP UP ATTACK
THURSDAY, JULY 2 – FRIDAY, JULY 3: Scores killed in multiple attacks
Two suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers killed at least 10 people in Borno’s capital, Maiduguri.
A military source had told Reuters that both bombers had targeted crowded areas where locals sell fruit along the highway, which runs South-East of the capital.
The attacks came a day after the militants opened fire on mosques and houses in the village of Kukawa, leaving nearly 100 people dead with one local telling AFP, “The attackers have killed at least 97 people,” adding that he had counted the bodies.
SUNDAY, JULY 5: Twin blasts in Jos kill scores
Two explosions believed to be targeted at a mosque and a restaurant in Jos, Plateau left up to 44 persons dead.
The attacks came shortly after the Ramadan fast was broken, with both sites full of people. According to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) who added that another 67 were wounded in the attacks, of the 44 dead, 23 were killed at the restaurant and 21 at the mosque.
TUESDAY, JULY 7: Zaria attack claims 25 people
A bomb attack killed at least 25 people including primary school teachers and wounded 32 others in Zaria, Kaduna.
The suspected suicide bomber targeted civil servants at a government building in the city’s Sabon Gari area, witnesses said.
Friday, July 10-Friday, 17: Many killed as insurgents intensify attack
On July 10, 45, people were feared killed in Monguno, Borno.
On July 13, insurgents killed 30 in Konduga, Borno.
On July 14, Boko Haram militants killed 15 in Kaga, Borno.
On July 16, two bombs went off in Gombe killing.
On July 17, a 10 year old girl and an elderly woman killed 50 people in separate suicide bomb attacks in Damaturu, Yobe. Another 11 were killed in Kaga, Borno.
SUNDAY, JULY 26: Woman, 40, kills self, 14 others in suicide bombing
A woman said to be around 40 detonated a bomb in a crowded market in Damaturu. The blast killed 14 people and wounded 47 others, according to a local nurse. The woman had been described as “mentally unstable” by locals, the AFP reports.
FRIDAY, JULY 31: Tricycle-riding female bomber kills six in Maiduguri market
A female suicide bomber on a tricycle killed six people in an attack on Gamboru market, the second largest in Maiduguri, witnesses said.
Babakura Kolo, a vigilante in the northeastern town, speaking to AFP said, “We took seven dead bodies, including that of the female bomber, to the hospital. Eight other people were injured and are now receiving treatment in a hospital.”
AUGUST: INSURGENTS CAGED
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9: Boko Haram gunmen kill four in road ambush
Suspected Boko Haram militants killed four people in a road ambush on the Damboa-Biu road near the remote village of Nwajurko Borno, a military source and a civilian joint task force said.
SEPTEMBER: INSURGENTS WANING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: IDP camp attacked, about 10 killed
A bomb exploded at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Yola, Adamawa State, killing up to 10.
The blast occurred in the morning at the camp at a school in Malkohi, a suburb of Yola, witnesses said.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: 54 killed in deadly attack in Maiduguri
At least 54 people were killed in three explosions in Maiduguri, police say. The police further revealed that a further 90 people were injured in the blasts.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3: 18 dead, 41 wounded as Abuja FCT is rocked
Two explosions rocked the outskirts of Abuja FCT, leaving 18 people dead and 41 wounded, rescue officials revealed.
