Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

It was a dark weekend in Borno State North eastern Nigeria as over 100 persons were killed in multiple explosions launched by members of the Boko Haram sect in different places.

Barely four hours after twin explosions targeted at a marriage ceremony on Saturday killed about 52 persons, another 39 persons were killed when gunmen attacked Mainok, about 55 kilometres away from Ajilari- Bintu Sugar, scene of the first incident.

A local source in the area said some insurgents suspected to be Boko Haram members laid ambush on the village around 10.00pm Saturday night, shooting sporadically and hurling explosives into houses.

“As at 10am today (Sunday), many buildings were still in flames. Almost all the village with hundred of houses have been destroyed by the ravaging insurgents. We were on sober mood over the incident,” the source said.

The primary school in the village, some vehicles and shops were destroyed.

A senior officer of the State Security Service, SSS, confirmed the incident saying “Yes, Mainok was attacked and over 30 people were killed.”

The death toll from attacks which have spread from Maiduguri to Konduga, Bama, Gwoza, Michika, Gulak, Shuwa, Buni-Yadi and Mainok among others, in the last one month is conservatively put at about 1000.