Boko haram strikes again..

An attack by suspected Islamist Boko Haram fighters in

Niger has killed at least 38 people, officials say.

It took place late on Wednesday night, according to a

security source quoted by the Reuters .

Local MP Bulu Mammadu told the BBC that the victims

included women and children who had been shot dead

in two different villages.

Boko Haram is based in Nigeria but is being tackled by

a multinational force, including soldiers from Niger.

On Monday, there was a suspected Boko Haram suicide

attack in Chad, which is also supplying soldiers to the

multinational force.

Chad responded to that attack with air strikes on

suspected Boko Haram positions.

In Niger, Mr. Mammadu said that, as well as killing

people, the militants had burnt down several houses in

the two villages of Lamina and Ungumawo in the Diffa

region, close to Nigeria’s border.

But on his Twitter handle on Thursday, President

Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians and their

neighbours that the Boko Haram insurgents would soon

be defeated.

“I mourn every single death of a Nigerian as a result of

terrorism. That is why security is my number one

priority.

Our efforts to strengthen security cooperation with our

neighbours and adjust our own response to Boko

Haram will yield results very soon. Our resolve and

capacity to end terrorism is much greater than the

threat we face. Nigeria will prevail,” Buhari said.

Boko Haram first attacked Niger in February when the

government said it repulsed an attack, killing more than

100 of the group’s fighters.

Since being sworn in last month, Nigeria’s new

President Buhari has pushed ahead with plans to beef

up the multinational force which will be made up of

7,500 troops.

On Monday, the United States of America’s government,

at the 25 African Union Summit pledged the sum of

$5 million to back Nigeria and its neighbours in their

fight against Boko Haram.

Source: the punchng