31 killed in Nigerian city

Gunmen killed eight people in Nigeria's troubled city of Potiskum on Saturday, raising the death toll to 31 for three days of violence in the northeastern town, police and residents said.

The body of a school principal was found near his house on Saturday, after seven people had been reportedly slaughtered in the city and 23 earlier killed following blasts and shootings on Thursday.

In the eastern state of Adamawa, the bodies were found of nine people who residents charged were executed by soldiers hunting suspects in a roadside bomb blast four days earlier.

Suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamist group shot dead seven people, including a retired customs chief and an ex-police officer early Saturday, police said.

"I have received reports of the killing of a retired controller of customs and a retired police officer and five members of their family by Boko Haram gunmen in Potiskum this morning," Yobe state police commissioner Patrick Egbuniwe said.

Egbuniwe said the gunmen killed the ex-customs officer Ajiya Waziri and his medical doctor son, before the attack on the police officer and four members of his family.

Abducted

Residents said Waziri and his son were abducted from their house and taken to the outskirts of the city where they were shot dead. Their bodies were dumped on the roadside.

A domestic staff said around 10 gunmen took away cash and other valuables from the house before setting it ablaze.

"Their bodies were found with bullet wounds on the outskirts of the city later today," he said.

Residents said the gunmen also broke into the house of Haruna Adamu, a retired assistant superintendent of police in the Sabon Layi area of the city.

"It was past midnight when I heard several gunshots followed by screams which woke me up," said Tabiu Hamza, a neighbour of the slain police officer.

"Some neighbours including myself rushed to the house after the gunmen had left only to find all the five members of the family, including Haruna, his wife and three children dead," he said.

Residents also said the corpse of Musa Magazai, the head of a secondary school in the city was found near his house with gunshot wounds on Saturday.

Potiskum, the commercial hub of Yobe state, has been hard hit by near daily Islamist attacks in recent weeks.

October 22, 2012