Violence and targeting of government officials in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, continued Thursday in Bulabulin ward of Biafara area, as gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram sect members shot and killed three Igbo traders in their respective shops by 11am on Thursday.

The gunmen, according to an eyewitness and resident of Bulabulin ward,Chindo Ibrahim, stormed the traders’ shops in a tricycle, chanting God is great and started firing gunshots into the air to scare people away from the area.

Ibrahim said: “we were just opening our shops for the day when we started hearing gunshots towards Ahmadu Bello Way and people started running into several directions for safety. Some of us run into our shops and market stalls, while others fled into their houses for safety. But I saw three dead bodies lying in front of three different shops. I cannot tell you whether the bodies are of gunmen or some of our colleagues shot this morning (Thursday).”

He said the gunmen came in two tricycles in trailing the Igbo traders, before three people were killed.

Our Correspondent learnt that the Bulabulin ward, facing the eastern flank of the popular Maiduguri Monday Market (MMMK), has been condoned off by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) prevent further attacks and killings. Ahmadu Bello Way and the Shehuri North road were closed by JTF, leaving only the Shehu Laminu Way for motorists and pedestrians yesterday in Maiduguri.

Confirming the multiple attacks and killings yesterday, the spokesman of Borno state Police Command, Gideon Jibrin said that there were attacks in Bulabulin ward of the metropolis on Thursday morning.

He said the attacks were on some shops in area, where three people were killed in their shops.

– Vanguard