Gunmen on motorcycles attacked the loggers while they were loading firewood into pickup vans at Maiwa village, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they said. “Four loggers were shot dead by the Boko Haram gunmen who also burnt three vehicles loaded with firewood,” said Ibrahim Liman, a leader of a militia force fighting the insurgents. “Sixteen of them (Boko Haram) came on six motorcycles, riding in twos and threes, and opened fire on us without saying a word,” he said. In August Boko Haram fighters decapitated three loggers near Aisa-Wulomari village, 40 kilometres from Maiduguri while returning to the city. In April eight loggers were killed and their bodies burnt by the insurgents at Kayamla, 10 kilometres from Maiduguri while collecting firewood in a bush.

Source: The Guardian December 30, 2017 19:30 UTC