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Nigeria's Boko Haram crisis: Maiduguri 'preachers kill dozens' Nigeria's Boko Haram crisis: Maiduguri 'preachers kill dozens'
(about 2 hours later)
Suspected Boko Haram militants have launched an attack in a village near the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing about 45 people. Suspected Boko Haram militants have launched an attack on a village near the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing about 45 people.
Survivors told the BBC the attackers said they had come to preach, before opening fire on a crowd that gathered. The attackers told villagers they had come to preach before firing on a crowd that gathered, survivors told the BBC.
Meanwhile, residents and officials fear at least 200 people were killed in a wave of attacks earlier this week. Separately, officials say up to 200 may have been killed in a wave of attacks in villages in the region this week.
Maiduguri and surrounding areas have not suffered many attacks since a state of emergency was imposed a year ago. Militants have frequently targeted remote areas since emergency rule was imposed a year ago in the north-east.
Remote areas are now usually targeted instead.
Nigeria's government has been facing growing pressure both at home and abroad to do more to tackle Boko Haram since militants kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April.Nigeria's government has been facing growing pressure both at home and abroad to do more to tackle Boko Haram since militants kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April.
The group has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 in an attempt to create an Islamic state in Nigeria - and thousands of people have died in their attacks and the subsequent security crackdown.The group has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009 in an attempt to create an Islamic state in Nigeria - and thousands of people have died in their attacks and the subsequent security crackdown.
Timeline of recent attacks
Villagers 'tricked'Villagers 'tricked'
The militants came into the village of Barderi, near the University of Maiduguri on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday night, telling people to gather to hear them preach, but then turned the guns on the crowd. The attack on the village of Bardari, near the University of Maiduguri on the outskirts of the city, took place late on Wednesday.
The insurgents have used various tactics to gather residents together when they enter a village before attacking them. The militants entered the village telling people to gather to hear them preach, but then turned their guns on the crowd.
In Tuesday's attack on Attagara village in the remote Gwoza area of Borno state, people believed the gunmen - who were dressed in military uniforms - were soldiers who had come to provide protection after an earlier attack on Sunday. Timeline of recent attacks
One witness, quoted by the Associated Press, said the militants gathered people together in the centre of the village before they began "to fire continuously for a very long time until all that had gathered were dead". Police sources told Reuters news agency that the attackers then fled across a river, setting fire to houses in a nearby village.
The local MP, Peter Biye, told the BBC that it was impossible to know exactly how many people had died because everyone who could do so, had fled into the nearby hills and there was no-one to count the bodies. Boko Haram flags
Attagara is one of six villages where a total of at least 200 people are believed to have been killed. It follows an attack on Attagara village in the remote Gwoza area of Borno state on Tuesday, when gunmen dressed in military uniforms convinced residents that they had come to provide protection after an earlier attack on Sunday.
They are near the Mandara Mountains, a known Boko Haram hideout close to the border with Cameroon. One witness, quoted by the Associated Press agency, said the militants had gathered people together in the centre of the village before they began "to fire continuously for a very long time until all that had gathered were dead".
There are reports that Boko Haram's jihadist flags are flying in several villages in Gwoza. Attagara is one of six villages in the area where a total of at least 200 people are believed to have been killed in recent days.
The local MP, Peter Biye, told the BBC that it was impossible to know exactly how many people had died, because everyone who could do so had fled into the nearby hills and there was no-one to count the bodies.
Despite repeated requests, Nigerian soldiers had not deployed to the area, Mr Biye said.
The villages affected are near the Mandara Mountains, close to the border with Cameroon where Boko Haram is known to operate.
There are reports that the group's jihadist flags are flying in several villages in Gwoza.
Who are Boko Haram?Who are Boko Haram?
Who are Boko Haram?Who are Boko Haram?
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar ShekauProfile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau
Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko HaramWhy Nigeria has not defeated Boko Haram
Adamawa attack
In the early hours of Thursday morning, another attack reportedly took place in Adamawa state, one of the three states under emergency rule.In the early hours of Thursday morning, another attack reportedly took place in Adamawa state, one of the three states under emergency rule.
Residents of the village of Madagali told the BBC Hausa Service that over three hours, suspected Boko Haram militants exchanged fire with security forces, burnt down the administrative buildings and a church, and killed two people.Residents of the village of Madagali told the BBC Hausa Service that over three hours, suspected Boko Haram militants exchanged fire with security forces, burnt down the administrative buildings and a church, and killed two people.
After they had left, the air force bombed the surrounding area and three people died, residents added.After they had left, the air force bombed the surrounding area and three people died, residents added.
A new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council says 3,300 people have been killed by Boko Haram this year alone.A new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council says 3,300 people have been killed by Boko Haram this year alone.
Meanwhile, the UK government has announced that it will host a ministerial meeting about northern Nigeria's security in London on 12 June - to follow on from last month's summit in Paris about tackling Boko Haram.
"Since the appalling abductions of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok by Boko Haram, the international community has worked together closely to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism," UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement.