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Nigeria's Boko Haram and military 'kill' many in Borno Nigeria's Boko Haram 'attack' Borno state's Mafa town
(about 3 hours later)
At least 117 people have been killed in northern Nigeria since Friday in attacks by Islamists and government forces, residents and an MP said. Suspected militant Islamists have killed at least 29 people in an attack on a town in north-eastern Nigeria's Borno state, a lawmaker has said.
Two bombings in Maiduguri, the main city in Borno state, and a raid on a nearby village by suspected militants killed 97 people, residents said. Government troops fled when the militants raided Mafa town on Sunday night, Ahmad Zannah added.
Another 20 people were killed when the military launched an air raid on a village, a lawmaker said. The attack brings to about 150 the number of people killed in Borno since Friday in attacks by the militants and the military, reports say.
Nigeria's army is fighting the Islamist group Boko Haram. The Islamist group Boko Haram is waging an insurgency in Nigeria.
President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno and two other states in May, giving the military extra powers to curb the four-year insurgency.President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno and two other states in May, giving the military extra powers to curb the four-year insurgency.
However, Boko Haram has stepped up its violent campaign, with hardly a day going by without reports of a deadly attack by militants, says BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross.However, Boko Haram has stepped up its violent campaign, with hardly a day going by without reports of a deadly attack by militants, says BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross.
Thousand of people have been killed in the conflict and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.Thousand of people have been killed in the conflict and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.
On Saturday night, suspected Boko Haram fighters reportedly destroyed the entire village of Mainok, about 50km (30 miles) west of Maiduguri. 'Air raid'
The militants attacked the village with assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and explosives, residents said. Mr Zannah, a senator from Borno state, told BBC Focus on Africa that Boko Haram had warned about a week earlier that it planned to attack Mafa.
"They started shooting everywhere, they started burning all the houses in the village. Schools were shut and most residents fled to Maiduguri city, about 45km (28 miles) away, he said.
"I don't think that there is any house that is standing in the village," an eyewitness said. Military reinforcements were sent to Mafa, but soldiers still lacked the firepower or numerical strength to confront the militants, Mr Zannah added.
'Suspects arrested' "When the attack took place, all of them ran away, along with the villagers. There was no resistance," he said.
Earlier on Saturday, two bombs exploded in a densely populated area of Maiduguri - a city which Boko Haram has often targeted. Two policemen were killed by a bomb on Monday morning and fourteen soldiers were missing, Mr Zannah said.
The first bomb was concealed inside a truck full of wood. As people tried to rescue victims the second explosion occurred. On Saturday night, suspected Boko Haram fighters reportedly destroyed the entire village of Mainok, about 50km west of Maiduguri.
At the time many people were crowded in a video hall in the area watching football. The militants attacked the village with assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and explosives, killing 47 people, residents said.
There was also a wedding nearby - many of the dead were children. Earlier on Saturday, two bombs killed about 50 people in a densely populated area of Maiduguri - a city which Boko Haram has often targeted.
Borno state senator Ali Ndume told BBC Hausa that about 20 people, many of them elderly, were killed when the army launched an air raid on Daglun village on Friday night.Borno state senator Ali Ndume told BBC Hausa that about 20 people, many of them elderly, were killed when the army launched an air raid on Daglun village on Friday night.
However, the defence ministry denied the allegation.However, the defence ministry denied the allegation.
"The reports are believed to be part of the design by those bent on discrediting the counter-terrorist mission," its spokesman Chris Olukoladehe is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying."The reports are believed to be part of the design by those bent on discrediting the counter-terrorist mission," its spokesman Chris Olukoladehe is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.
He said government forces had killed a number of Boko Haram fighters in an operation on Sunday evening, including those believed to have killed at least 29 people in an attack on a rural boarding school in Yobe state more than a week ago.He said government forces had killed a number of Boko Haram fighters in an operation on Sunday evening, including those believed to have killed at least 29 people in an attack on a rural boarding school in Yobe state more than a week ago.
Boko Haram members suspected to have been involved in the bombings in Maiduguri have also been arrested, Mr Olukoladehe said, AFP reports.Boko Haram members suspected to have been involved in the bombings in Maiduguri have also been arrested, Mr Olukoladehe said, AFP reports.
Both the Nigerian army and Boko Haram have repeatedly been accused by rights groups of committing atrocities during the conflict in the region.Both the Nigerian army and Boko Haram have repeatedly been accused by rights groups of committing atrocities during the conflict in the region.
Boko Haram is fighting to establish a strict Islamic state in northern Nigeria.