adminMAIDUGURI (Nigeria) — More than 50 public schools have been destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in northeastern Borno State during the past 18 months, an education official said Thursday. “Initially only 10 of the 50 schools were burned but when the reconstruction by the state government commenced, the insurgents continued to bomb, burn and destroy more schools,” Tijjani Abba Ali, the Borno State education commissioner, said at a press briefing.
The commissioner said the federal government has assisted the state with 120 million naira (about 744 000 US dollars) for the reconstruction of 10 schools burned earlier.
Meanwhile, Ali condemned the attack on a school by Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Damaturu on Monday that killed at least seven students and two teachers.
“It was very unfortunate that the hoodlums attacked and killed innocent souls in the line of duties,” Ali said. “This heartless and unjustifiable madness must not be allowed to continue unchallenged because of its negative impact on the educational sector and the citizens in general.”
President Goodluck Jonathan on 14 May declared a state of emergency in the northern states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno following waves of killings and attacks there by Boko Haram insurgents. — Xinhua
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derick.khumalo