Boko Haram 10 things you should know about the terrorist attack in Baga

The attack is said to have lasted six days and about 3,000 residents of the town are said to have escaped to Chad.

A scene of destruction in Baga after 185 people were killed and over 2000 homes destroyed in April 2013

Boko Haram insurgents have gone on a killing spree in Baga, Borno State and have reportedly killed thousands of people.

The attack is said to have lasted six days and about 3,000 residents of the town are said to have escaped to Chad.

Here are 10 things you should know about the attack:

1. It started on Saturday, January 3
   
   
2.  Boko Haram initially attacked the military base in Baga which hosts the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), made up of troops from Nigeria, Chad and Niger
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3. The terrorists engaged the troops in a fierce gun battle in the town.
   
   
4. The soldiers attached to the base fled and the facility was taken over by the insurgents.
   
   
5. The terrorists began a killing spree and are said to have killed 2,000 people in the community. Others are said to have drowned while trying to cross into Chad.
   
   
6. The Boko Haram members also burnt houses and levelled the town. Officials say the town of Baga is “virtually non-existent”
   
   
7. The surviving residents of Baga are said to have fled the town leaving it totally empty.
   
   
8. The streets of Baga are said to be littered with corpses as there’s no one left to bury the dead.
   
   
9. The terrorists are also said to have burnt down 16 communities in the area.
   
   
10. Amnesty international has described the attack as the deadliest massacre in Boko Haram’s history.