Nigerian military kills 16 Boko Haram suspects, arrests 5

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The Nigerian military said on Wednesday it killed 16 suspected Boko Haram terrorists and arrested five others in a gun duel that lasted several hours in the sect's spiritual home base of Maiduguri, capital of northern Borno state.

The Spokesman for the military Jont Task Force (JTF) deployed to battle the rampaging Islamists, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, said in a statement that the clashes occurred in different locations in the city, including Lawan Bukar, Railway quarters, Gwange and Budum wards, on Tuesday.

''The JTF wishes to inform the public that on June 5, at about 4.00pm, some terrorists group attempted to launch simultaneous attacks in Maiduguri using AK 47 rifles, bombs and rocket propel grenades. They also used other deadly weapons in the attacks,'' he said.

Lt.-Col. Musa said the soldiers successfully repelled the attacks after the gun battle with the invaders, even though he said a soldier sustained a minor injury.

He said the JTF also detonated several Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) that were buried in Lawan Bukar ward by the terrorists on Wednesday morning.

According to the spokesman, the JTF recovered seven AK 47 rifles,an anti-armoured tank rocket laucher, a pistol revolver and 200
assorted live ammunition, among others, from the attackers.
-0- PANA SEG 6June2012