Scores of motorists and travellers were, yesterday, feared dead as they stepped on Improved Explosives Devices, IEDs, planted by terrorists, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect, on the Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok road.

The terrorists, who also razed houses, were said to have also invaded Njilang village in Whuntafu ward of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, killing three persons.

Sources and Executive Chairman of the council area, Umar Ibrahim, confirmed this in Maiduguri, yesterday.

They, however, could not confirm the death of the scores of motorists and travellers via IEDs’ explosion, as unconfirmed report indicated that the motorists and passengers were plying the recently reopened Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok-Askira/Uba road when the trucks conveying them with foodstuff stepped on IEDs planted by suspected terrorists. Several others reportedly sustained injuries.

However, sources and residents told our correspondent that the armed insurgents invaded Njilang at about 2:34am yesterday and opened fire sporadically at fleeing residents, killing three people and looting shops before setting ablaze residential houses without confrontation.

Similarly, a passenger, Abubakar Usman, who survived the IEDs’ explosion, said: “The insurgents targeted some trucks conveying foodstuff and off-loaders.”

Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area said he was yet to get the full details of the attack.

“Yes I received a distress call today (yesterday) that one of my communities, Njilang, was attacked by armed terrorists.

“Though details were still sketchy, some callers informed me that three people were killed while infrastructure was destroyed. Other versions revealed that more than four persons were killed in the unfortunate incident.

All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer, Sani Shatambaya, proved abortive at press time. (Text, excluding headline: Vanguard)

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