Boko Haram gunmen on motor bike kill 2

A girl and a policeman were killed in an attack in Darazo, Bauchi state, in northwest Nigeria Monday which the army blamed on the Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram.

The attack at the home of a Muslim cleric in , was the first attributed to the extremist separatists since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“The gunmen came on motorcycles and headed straight to the home of the cleric and opened fire indiscriminately, killing a girl and a policeman living in the area,” local resident Baffale Sanusi said.

A military source confirmed the deaths and said two more people were wounded in the attack which took place at the time of Muslim evening prayers.

“We have received reports of shootings in Darazo this evening and we have mobilised troops from nearby military to the town to deal with the situation,” a senior military source in Bauchi told AFP.

“We strongly suspect Boko Haram gunmen are behind the shootings,” the source said.

Another local resident, Umar Mato, said the streets were deserted after the attack as soldiers “laid siege on the town looking for the gunmen”.

The latest attack contradicted claims by Federal Government officials that the Boko Haram declared a ceasefire in the spirit of Ramadan.