Nigerian rebels free 40 in raid on jail
Source: Agencies |
June 25, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NIGERIA'S Islamist sect Boko Haram stormed a prison in its northeastern heartland yesterday, freeing 40 inmates, police said, in the latest of a string of attacks blamed on the group.
"There was an attack on the Yobe prison this morning, the Boko Haram sect attacked the prison through the Emir palace, 40 inmates escaped," said Patrick Egbuniwe, Yobe State police commissioner.
"They attacked with rifles, the police and the joint task force confronted them."
He said two of the attackers were shot dead and some policemen were injured. Gun battles between sect members and security forces in Yobe's capital Damaturu killed 40 people last Tuesday.
Boko Haram has been blamed for several prison breaks in the past and one of the group's few demands has been that its imprisoned members should be freed.
The sect is fighting to carve out an Islamic state in Nigeria - a country nearly evenly split between Muslims and Christians.
"There was an attack on the Yobe prison this morning, the Boko Haram sect attacked the prison through the Emir palace, 40 inmates escaped," said Patrick Egbuniwe, Yobe State police commissioner.
"They attacked with rifles, the police and the joint task force confronted them."
He said two of the attackers were shot dead and some policemen were injured. Gun battles between sect members and security forces in Yobe's capital Damaturu killed 40 people last Tuesday.
Boko Haram has been blamed for several prison breaks in the past and one of the group's few demands has been that its imprisoned members should be freed.
The sect is fighting to carve out an Islamic state in Nigeria - a country nearly evenly split between Muslims and Christians.
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