MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ten people have been killed in Nigeria'snortheast city of Maiduguri by suspected Boko Haram militant group, a military sourcetold Xinhua on Wednesday.
Five of the victims were beheaded, the source said in Maiduguri, the Borno Statecapital.
The latest attack came barely 24 hours after suspected Boko Haram militants killed 18people at Damboa, a small community located about 90 km south of Maiduguri, theepicenter of Boko Haram attacks since 2009.
Residents told Xinhua that some gunmen had sneaked into a residential area, Jiddari-Polo ward in the metropolis at about 10 p.m. local time, on Tuesday and slaughteredfive people including a director in the Borno State Ministry of Animal and Fisheries, aveterinary doctor.
"I heard wailing early this morning when we were about going for the early morningprayer and when I inquired in my neighbor house, I find out he was slaughtered lastnight by some gunmen. In fact, his corpse and head were laid on the floor covered witha wrapper when I got there at about 5 a.m.," Zakariya, a resident said.
Spokesperson of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa said threepeople and not five were killed, adding that his men also shot dead two of the attackerswhile a soldier was wounded in the process.
"Information available to the JTF operation indicated that some suspected gunmenkilled three people at about 3 a.m. Wednesday, 23 January, 2013 in Jiddari-Pulo,Maiduguri metropolis. The JTF was alerted; it cordoned off the area, arrested threesuspects and recovered one assault rifle with ten rounds of ammunition. Two gunmenlost their lives and a soldier was wounded during an exchange of fire. The suspects arein JTF custody and effort is on to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang," Musasaid.
He did not give any information about the killing of four other persons at London-Cikion Tuesday night.
Residents of the area who accompanied the corpses of the slain four persons to theGwange Cemetery Wednesday said the gunmen stormed the London-Ciki area, one ofthe hot bed of Boko Haram insurgents at about 9 p.m. local time and shot three people.
Borno State has become a flashpoint, with the government imposing and lifting curfewsamid waves of attacks, which were often linked to Boko Haram being active in Nigeria'snorthern and central regions.
Thousands of people including women and children have died since the sect launchedan uprising in 2009.
