BBC: Nigeria army opens fire in Maiduguri: Several ‘civilians’ killed – eyewitness

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October 8th, 2012
Nigerian troops have opened fire in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, killing several people, believed to be civilians, eyewitnesses say.
The shooting came after a bomb blast targeting the army had injured two soldiers.
Maiduguri has been under siege from the militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which wants Sharia law in Nigeria.
On Sunday, the army said it killed 30 Boko Haram members in Damaturu.
Eyewitnesses in Maiduguri said soldiers began to indiscriminately open fire on residents and set fire to homes and businesses.
“Initially, soldiers that came after the explosion harassed residents, whipping them,” one person told AFP news agency.
“But later they went on a shooting spree and started setting homes and shops on fire.”
Another resident said the soldiers “shot everybody in sight”.
The number of people killed or injured in the incident has not yet been verified independently.
Army spokesman Lt Col Sagir Musa confirmed earlier on Monday that two soldiers had been injured in a bomb blast targeting an army patrol vehicle in the city.
He declined to comment on the latest shooting allegations.

Newsrescue.com