[ 2011-06-08 ]

Motorbikes are a popular mode of transport but have been banned at night in Maiduguri to stop attacks

Deadly attack on Nigerian police
At least five people have been killed after police
stations were attacked in the northern Nigerian
city of Maiduguri, hospital sources say.

The BBC's Bilkisu Babangida in the city says there
were at least three explosions, while gunfire rang
out in what is believed to be the latest attack by
the Boko Haram Islamist sect.

Its members have killed dozens of police officers
and politicians in the city in the past year.

It wants to overthrow Nigeria's state.

It believes that Western education is wrong.

In 2009, hundreds of its supporters were killed in
Maiduguri after they attacked police stations.

The latest raids come a day after the sect was
accused of killing a cleric from a different
Muslim tradition who had criticised it.

Ibrahim Birkuti was shot dead outside his home in
the town of Biu, some 200km (120 miles) south of
Maiduguri.

Like previous victims of Boko Haram, he was killed
by a gunman riding a motorbike.

Last week, Boko Haram told the BBC it had carried
out a series of bombings after President Goodluck
Jonathan's inauguration.

A sect spokesman said it was also responsible for
killing the brother of the Shehu of Borno, one of
Nigeria's most important Islamic leaders.

The police have made hundreds of arrests and even
banned motorbikes at night but have not been able
to stop the violence.

Source - BBC

... go Back