Residents of Maiduguri were left scampering for safety as at least 10 rockets were launched into Maiduguri, the Borno State capital in Northeastern Nigeria by terrorist group, Boko Haram.
As at the time of filing the report Tuesday night, a team of security, military, Civilian JTF and humanitarian workers were still combing the town for corpses even as the injured were assisted to the hospital.
Initial count of corpses have it that 13 persons were lost even as over 40 persons were reportedly injured.
The major casualties were recorded at a football pitch in Gwange near the House of Late General Mamman Shuwa, who was one of the earlier casualties of insurgency in the state.
At the football pitch, nine boys who were playing football early evening were killed by a rocket.
Many others were injured at the football pitch by the rockets, which many said were ten in number fired simultaneously.
Other parts of the town were not spared the rocket launch believed to have been shot to destabilize the town, paving way for a massive attack by the insurgents.
At Adam Kolo part of the town, the rocket killed four persons and got many others injured.
Multiple sources said four persons were killed in the explosion in the area, which also resulted in injuries to many others.
One of the source, said a Mercedes Benz parked in the area was totally scattered.
He said that the corpses were removed and taken to the State Specialist Hospital.
He said those that were injured were equally assisted to the hospital to be treated.
When our correspondent drove to the place at about 6:30 to have a clear picture of happening, the entire area was cordoned off by Civilian JTF and some soldiers.
Many people were seen fleeing into other parts of the town with fear that it may be a prelude to further attacks.
One of those that spoke, said: “this is strange, in all the years of the attack on Maiduguri, we have not seen such massive rocket landing on us.
“We just need to flee into town for it is getting dark and we do not know what lies ahead.”
The military had to push the insurgents who were stationed around the town away with air bombardment to stop the town from getting infiltrated by the insurgents.
One of the top security source, who was contacted told our correspondent that he could not talk as they were still involved in getting those injured to the hospital and getting the town secured from being infiltrated.
All attempts to get the military and other security agencies to talk on the incident officially were unsuccessfully as messages sent to their known spokesmen were not replied and call to their mobile lines were not picked.
Michael Olugbode, Maiduguri
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