After weeks of sacking villages and destroying church buildings around Nigeria’s northeastern town of Gwoza, Islamic extremist group Boko Haram killed an estimated 100 people in the predominantly Christian town Aug. 6.
The shooting and fire-bombing of men, women and children began at about 4 a.m.
The full magnitude of the attack and the Nigerian military response was unknown as most sources have been forced to flee to Cameroon or Adamawa state in Nigeria, but on the initial day of the assault Pirda Tada, a Christian resident of Saha village, said that Boko Haram gunmen arrived in Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles and attacked houses with Improvised Explosive Devices and fuel-bombs.
Houses bombed
“These Christians in our village had their throats slit with knives while their hands were tied behind their backs. Some houses were bombed as the Boko Haram gunmen were chanting, ‘God is great!’ in Arabic,” Tada said.
Six Christians were killed at Saha village, and the insurgents destroyed houses and shops and burned the Church of Christ in Nations building in Pegi Barawa village, Tada said.
Since December 2013, Boko Haram also has attacked the villages of Mainok, Barawa, Chinne, Arbakko, Attagara, Ngoshe, Klala, Kunde, Hembe, Gathahure, Klala, Himbe, Amuda, Agapalawa, Ashigashiya and Chikedeh, all in the Gwoza area.
It is estimated that more than 300,000 Christians have been displaced from the greater area forcing many to flee to neighboring Cameroon.
Christian leaders sent a petition late in 2013 to the Borno state government and security agencies reporting a threatening letter that Boko Haram had sent to Christian communities in Gwoza.
“You have been fleeing your homes, but we are still pursuing you because the soldiers with you people cannot protect you,” the letter read. “Your lives, farmlands and other property are also not safeguarded. Allah willing, we shall not fail to attack your communities and the listed churches in this letter.”
Yakubu Toeye, a Christian from Gwoza, said 12 church buildings destroyed in December were located in Kunde, Hembe, Gathahure, Himbe and Klala.
(MS)
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