At least 34 killed following gunmen attack in Nigeria

An attack on a cattle market in northeastern Nigeria by gunmen armed with explosives has left at least 34 dead and the toll is likely to climb, an emergency source said on Thursday.

The fighting late Wednesday happened in Potiskum, a town in Nigeria’s Yobe state.

A Nigerian official quoted by AFP said, “Thirty-four bodies were deposited at the hospital.” He said the toll was likely to be more than 50 dead because families were also burying relatives’ bodies without bringing them to the hospital.

Police confirmed the attack happened but said they had no details.

The attack does not appear to be the work of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram, which is waging an increasingly violent sectarian fight against Nigeria’s weak central government. Cattle raids remain common across the north, as herdsmen lead teams across the arid plains.

from KHAAMA

Posted in: Africa, BokoHaram, Kano, Maiduguri, Nigeria, Potiskum, Yobe State