6 die as JTF, gunmen clash in Maiduguri

Maiduguri — Six persons were killed, yesterday,
inMaiduguri in two separate incidents as gunmen
attacked the city’s largest market while
suspected members of Boko Haram also clashed
with a team of Joint Task Force
At least four traders were shot dead while two
others seriously injured when gunmen attacked
Monday market inMaiduguri.
The attack came barely 24 hours after President
Jonathan lifted the state of emergency earlier
imposed in some parts of the state and the
subsequent relaxation of the curfew by two
hours.
The incident, which happened at about noon,
forced many traders who were at the peak of
their pre-Ramadan shopping to flee the market.
General Manager of Monday Market,Maiduguri,
Alhaji Ajiya Terrab, confirmed the incident to
newsmen on phone, saying: “Some gunmen
actually attacked the market and killed four
traders and injured two others.”
Witnesses said following the attack on the shops
outside the market, the management of the
market had to lock up the six main entrances,
forcing traders to remain indoors for hours, until
it was later opened.
Also, men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, yesterday
clashed with gunmen suspected to be members
of the Boko Haram sect in Gambouru ward
ofMaidugurimetropolis inBornoState, killing two
persons.
An eyewitness said the clash occurred when
suspected gunmen attacked one of the military
patrol vehicles near Kofa Biyu onSir Kashim
Ibrahim Way.
He said: “We had to run for our dear lives, as the
shootings between soldiers and gunmen came
from all directions. I cannot tell you whether
some people were killed in the shoot-outs, but
some of us ran into our houses for fear of being
killed by stray bullets.”
An attendant at the Accident and Emergency
(A&E) Unit of theUniversityofMaiduguri Teaching
Hospital, UMTH, said two bodies of civilians
were brought into the hospital by the JTF van.
The attendant in a text message to newsmen
said: “Two men in personal dress were brought
in dead at the Accident and Emergency (A&E)
unit of Teaching Hospital by a JTF van at about
noon Thursday.”
Speaking on yesterday’s clash, spokesman of
JTF, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, said: “I am not aware of
the shootouts between us and suspected
gunmen. But I will investigate to confirm the
shootouts, before reaching you if there were
casualties.”
Confirming the incident, the Borno State Police
Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Gideon Jibrin,
said there was a clash between men of the JTF
and suspected gunmen in Gombouru ward
ofMaiduguri, yesterday, where some civilians
were injured by stray bullets.
He said the Police Area Commander of
Gambouru ward, was yet to send his report on
the incident to the headquarters for further
investigations.