IT was bloody in Zamfara and Borno states at the weekend and early yesterday morning, as gunmen carrying machetes attacked a village and massacred 19 persons, while the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram and soldiers engaged in a gun-duel that led to the death of two persons.

The gunmen, who were going from house to house, posing as visitors, shot and slashed the throats of their victims in Lingyado Village, Zamfara State, close to the border with Niger Republic, witnesses and the police said.

About 150 attackers reportedly surrounded the village and roamed between its compounds, shooting the residents who came out to greet them, elder Husaini Dansadau told the Associated Press.

Many people fled into the nearby cornfields when the shooting began.

Some of the gunmen shouted that they had raped the women they found, said another witness Ahmad Tsauri Lingyado.
The attackers reportedly used Kalashnikov rifles and machetes in the attack, witnesses said.

They allegedly also stole money and valuables from the village before fleeing into the darkness.

The State Police Command through its spokesman, Sanusi Amiru, also confirmed that at least 19 people died in the assault.
Seven others were wounded, including women and children.

Amiru said the police now guard the village.

A detachment of soldiers from a nearby base also moved into the area yesterday, where occasional gunshots could still be heard.

It appeared the attack was a reprisal for another in August, Amiru said.

Lingyado is a village of Hausa/Fulani settlers.

Also at the weekend, gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram used explosives and gunfire to target a military patrol vehicle near a wedding venue in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

At the end of the attack, many residents reported two civilians were killed.

The incident happened on a day the country was celebrating its independence day.

Boko Haram also claimed an August bombing of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Abuja.

"There was a bomb and gun attack on one of our patrol teams yesterday (Saturday)," said Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Mohammed, spokesman for the military Joint Task Force deployed to Maiduguri, yesterday.

"Our men responded to the attack but details are still sketchy," he added.

It was unclear whether the two victims were killed by the bomb or gunfire.

Those attending a nearby wedding took cover when the violence broke out.

Two residents said those killed were not part of the wedding.

Thousands have fled Maiduguri in recent months out of fears of further violence. Dozens of similar bomb blasts have hit the city as well as assassinations blamed on Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, a fresh threat by the sect that it would kidnap 22 Americans and European Union (EU) citizens is causing apprehension in the Niger Delta.

Boko Haram said it would kidnap the people to negotiate the release of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was nabbed during an attempt to bomb an American airliner on Christmas day, last year.

Although members of the sect had limited their activities to Bauchi, Gombe, Borno and other states in the North-East geopolitical, as well as Abuja, their recent threat to bomb some tertiary institutions in the Southern part of the country and to infiltrate the Niger Delta region is beginning to cause much apprehension.

Expatriate oil workers are apprehensive over the threats to infiltrate the region.

An oil expert said that their fear is now being compounded by the recent kidnap of an ExxonMobil worker in Akwa Ibom State.
There had been a report, quoting the U.S. oil major, as saying that gunmen boarded an ExxonMobil oil rig offshore on Friday, attacking and wounding one worker on board and abducting another.

It said Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN), operator of the joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), spokesperson, Gloria Essien Dannar, confirmed that in the early hours of Friday, some armed men attacked a supply vessel near one of their platforms, offshore Akwa Ibom State.

The Niger Delta recalcitrant militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), had taken responsibility for most abductions of oil workers in the Niger Delta, but nothing had been heard about abduction of oil worker in the region in recent times after the amnesty programme.

It was not clear, however, if the abduction was part of the Boko Haram threats to infiltrate the region.

The recent threat came on the heels of President Goodluck Jonathan's assurance to Nigerians during the 51th Independence Day national broadcast that he would secure the safety of all.

Abdulmutallab, charged for trying to bomb a U.S. jet, an offence punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, has been in detention in the U.S. since 2009.

Dependable source said that the leadership of Boko Haram has been monitoring the Abdulmutallab trial in the U.S.

The source, who preferred anonymity for security reasons, said that one of the assignments the recently recruited Boko Haram volunteers are expected to carry out is to seize American and EU citizens in Nigeria to negotiate the immediate release of Abdulmutallab.

A top controversial Islamic scholar was said to be the one forwarding information to the Boko Haram leadership.

He was also fingered as the one formulating attack strategies and the recruitment of volunteer suicide bombers into the sect.
Said a source: “He brought the information concerning Abudulmutallab and how he can be set free.

“Insha Allah, he will be set free as we have concluded arrangements to kidnap 22 American and some EU citizens in exchange for our dear Abudulmutallab.”

Part of the plots to free Abudulmutallab was contained in a “top secret” bulletin signed by a renowned Islamic propagandist.
The bulletin also appreciated some prominent Nigerians helping Boko Haram with logistic and financial aids.

The sect also expressed gratitude to some prominent Nigerians, including traditional rulers in the North, who it said have facilitated the importation of weapons for them.

Although it noted that the weapons received so far are not sufficient to carry out their planned assignment, plans have been made to bring in more explosive machines and materials/substances to produce sophisticated bombs in the country.

It noted that because of the tight security at the borders, movement of the weapons would be made through neighbouring countries to Kaduna, Kano, Buachi and Plateau states to Abuja.

The bulletin further said that the weapons would be escorted to beat security check by some pre-arranged “military boys” in some military vans after which they would be kept somewhere in Jos, Abuja and Niger State.

A Christian cleric, who preferred anonymity, said that the Boko Haram leadership has also urged Muslims to support the sect secretly, but condemn its activities openly.

The cleric hinted that the sect was also planning to stage a jihad (holy war) against the Christendom.

He said that the jihad was to cause an emergency situation in the country and make it ungovernable.

He said that during the period, Boko Haram would launch attack against some 10 churches.

A parish of one of the churches had been attacked in Suleja.

Also, about nine clergymen were listed as targets for elimination, according to the bulletin.

He said that the bulletin, which has been causing panic, hinted that the churches would be destroyed by suicide bombers during their Sunday services.

To create an alibi, he hinted that Boko Haram intend to bomb some mosques in the country, particularly in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Aba, Onitsha, Owerri and others “to make it look as if we are on a vengeful mission”.

He added that leadership has already recruited 650 radical Muslims, who are still undergoing training in Eritea and Somalia with another set of 850, who have purportedly returned from Yemen and Somalia.

Evangelist Omobo Emuhowho Livinus, who confirmed receiving the bulletin in Warri, Delta State, said that although they have been praying fervently to avert the threats, security should be beefed up around churches in the country.

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force (JTF), codename Operation Restore Hope, Sector 1 Commander in Warri, Colonel Ekang Ukang, has said that the task force was well grounded to tackle the Boko Haram sect, if they infiltrate the Niger Delta.

He spoke while reacting to the sect's threat, saying that the task force would deal with the situation.