86 burned and shot by Boko Haram in Nigeria

A survivor hidden in a tree says he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children burning to death, among 86 people officials say died in the latest attack by Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremists.

Scores of charred corpses and bodies with bullet wounds littered the streets from Saturday night’s attack on Dalori village and two nearby camps housing 25,000 refugees, according to survivors and soldiers at the scene just 5km from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in Nigeria’s northeast.

The shooting, burning, and explosions from three suicide bombers continued for nearly four hours in the unprotected area, survivor Alamin Bakura said.

He said that several of his family members were killed or wounded.

Three female suicide bombers blew up among people who managed to flee to neighbouring Gamori village, killing many people, according to a soldier at the scene who insisted on anonymity.

Eighty-six bodies were collected, according to Mohammed Kanar, area coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency.

Another 62 people are being treated for burns.