Churchgoers among 18 killed in latest Boko Haram attacks

Boko Haram fighters staged three separate attacks hours apart in northeastern Nigeria during the last two days, killing 18 people and proving the militant group’s resiliency amid ongoing efforts to eradicate it.

The violence started on Sunday, when Boko Haram fighters on motorbikes ambushed people on their way back from church in Kwamjilari village, 19 miles east of Chibok. Survivors said eight people died in the attack.

“Unknown to the residents, the gunmen had stationed some of their comrades on the road leading out of the village and they shot anyone who tried to [escape],” one resident, Luka Damina, told the Nigerian newspaper Vanguard. “Many people ran into the bush with gunshot wounds.”

In the early hours of Monday morning, the insurgents entered the village of Tallari and beheaded the village chief, Ba’ Lawan, and his son. Abbas Gavi of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) confirmed the attack and said the extremists burned down several homes and opened fire on fleeing villagers. Two people died in the shootout and several others sustained injuries, Gavi said.

Later on Monday, the Islamic terror group attacked an army-escorted convoy, killing six civilians and injuring three soldiers, said army spokesman Sani Usman. The convoy was traveling on a highway about 28 miles south of Maiduguri, Boko Haram’s birthplace.

“This unfortunate incident has brought to the fore the need for more vigilance and cooperation amongst all,” Usman said. “Additional security measures have been put in place to avert reoccurrence.”

Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced some 2.6 million others. The latest attack comes after several months of reduced strikes as multinational security officials continue to gain ground on the group. Over the weekend, Niger said its soldiers and Chadian troops killed 38 Boko Haram fighters during an operation in the village of Toumour, near the two countries’ shared border.

Nigerian officials for the first time on Friday released a statement on their efforts to obtain the release of the kidnapped Chibok girls, negotiations they say began in July. The statement from the Ministry of Information and Culture said the current divide within Boko Haram has “seriously affected the efforts” to finalize negotiation terms with the group.