55 killed in Boko Haram Attacks, Prisoners Freed

Nigeria’s Boko Haram gunmen Tuesday launched coordinated attacks on military barracks, a prison and police stations in the northeastern town of Bama, killing 55 people and setting free 105 inmates, the army said.

“In these attacks, 55 people including two soldiers, some prison warders, policemen and civilians were killed,” said Musa Sagir, the military spokesman in Maiduguri, 67 kilometres from Bama.

“Some of the gunmen attacked the military barracks but they were repelled. Ten of them were killed and two were arrested,” he said.

“But the gunmen broke into the prison, freeing 105 inmates, and killed all prison warders they could see except those who hid in a store where cooking utensils were kept,” he added.

Tuesday’s attacks came barely a week after 17 people were killed and many houses burnt following a series of attacks by the extremist group in the town.