June 7, 2014
Troops of the 7th Division of the Nigerian army reportedly gunned down 52 alleged members of the Boko Haram sect who had arrived the Mainok village market in Borno State in over two dozen Toyota Hilux vehicles, to kill and maim. The exchange of gunfire between men of the military and the insurgents occurred on Friday.
Military sources say the gunmen had chosen the Mainok village because the farming community holds its market days on Fridays. Boko Haram members occasionally raids markets to restock on food supplies.
One military source told The Guardian : “We saw the insurgents in their several Hilux vehicles and motorcycles advancing towards the village on this road to attack and kill people while we were patrolling the Maiduguri-Damaturu road this morning.
“On sighting us, the armed terrorists opened fire on us, so we had to retreat because of our numerical strength and firing power, after killing over four dozen suspects that attempted fleeing the village.
“Nine of the terrified and confused villagers were also feared dead, while the suspects who escaped are being pursued,” said a military officer who participated in foiling the attack.
In a curious twist, the military source claimed that the corpses of the fallen insurgents could not be retrieved because their fleeing members quickly loaded them back into the Hilux vans and drove them off as the military personnel gave hot pursuit.