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File photo: The town of Baga following at attack in 2013. AP/Press Association Images

'Thousands' feared killed in Boko Haram terror attack

An Amnesty International statement said there were reports the town of Baga was razed and that as many as 2,000 people were killed.

NIGERIA’S MILITARY HAS called for support in tackling Boko Haram after a major attack on a key northeast town that is feared could be the worst in the bloody six-year insurgency.

There are still no independently corroborated figures for the huge numbers said to have been killed in Baga, on the shores of Lake Chad in the far north of Borno State.

But defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement issued late yesterday that the description of the assault as “the deadliest” was “quite valid”.

The attack on the town by the bloodhounds and their activities since January 3rd, 2015 should convince well-meaning people all over the world that Boko Haram is the evil all must collaborate to end, rather than vilifying those working to check them.

Insurgents seized a key military base in Baga on 3 January, and the town was attacked again on Wednesday.

Nigeria’s military — West Africa’s largest — has faced repeated criticism for failing to end the six-year Islamist insurgency, as well as allegations of human rights abuses.

Soldiers have complained of a lack of adequate weapons and even refused to deploy to take on the better-armed rebels, who want to create a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria.

With elections set for next month, Nigeria’s government has also been accused of playing politics with the insurgency, as most of the areas worst affected by the violence are main opposition strongholds.

But Olukolade said:

The Nigerian military has not given up on Baga and other localities where terrorist activities are now prevalent.

“Appropriate plans, men and resources are presently being mobilised to address the situation,” he said on defenceinfo.mil.ng, in the military’s first detailed comment on last weekend’s attack.

The military and government often makes such statements, without giving specific details, yet there are reports of attacks on an almost daily basis.

An Amnesty International statement said there were reports the town was razed and that as many as 2,000 people killed.

Two explosions rocked northeast Nigeria yesterday, including one by a suicide bomber at a crowded market in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, by a young girl thought to be just 10.

Nineteen people were killed.

© AFP, 2015 with reporting from Associated Press. 

Read: Across the world, vigils for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack

Read: Boumeddiene may have been in Turkey at time of French terror attacks

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    Mute Thomas Hannigan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:41 AM

    Hailo raised it percentage take and lost taxi drivers.

    38
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    Mute Jonathan Smith
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    Apr 7th 2015, 1:54 PM

    When was that?just curious

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    Mute Debbie Meleady
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:42 PM

    Hailo charge 12% commisssion, that’s it. No €79.00 or €99.00 a week with Citycabs/Global/Lynk.

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    Mute Debbie Meleady
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:46 PM

    Still has over half the Dublin fleet at 7,000+

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:19 AM

    Hailo will lose more drivers if they keep uping the aunty with price and rules silly rules !

    20
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    Mute Debbie Meleady
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:48 PM

    You can’t up an “Aunty”, well maybe you can. Upping the ante is another thing. lol

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Apr 7th 2015, 12:04 PM

    They do take credit card but yes you do have to sign up first

    8
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    Mute Liam Morgan
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:42 AM

    They lost me when they stooped the use of their credit card facilities for non bailout jobs/customers it was extremely handy

    6
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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Apr 7th 2015, 12:05 PM

    What is a non bailout job or customer

    19
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    Mute windbag
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    Apr 7th 2015, 1:07 PM

    I think he misspelled it ……..its meant to read non hailo jobs as in you used to be able to take credit card jobs of the street now the customer has to download the app if they want to pay by card…….stupid idea from hailo…

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Apr 7th 2015, 8:23 PM

    Hailo have added the option to pre book now so that’s not a unique feature for lynk

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    Mute windbag
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    Apr 7th 2015, 8:37 PM

    Hailo had to add that feature because it was the next step …….and to keep up with other apps that have that feature before them ….e.g…cab:app

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    Mute Debbie Meleady
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    Apr 7th 2015, 10:59 PM

    My husband left a cab company recently. The company sold the controlling share to the guy named above. They thought that they could sell the drivers rent as part of the business package, (Approx’ €5K per year),forgetting that the drivers hire the cab company to supply them with work, and they work for the driver. Not wanting any association withthe new owners, he fired them.

    He wondered why, as he calls it “the Weakest Lynk”, chose the exact same colour branding as Hailo? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I suppose.

    5
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    Mute Seaghán Corcoran
    Favourite Seaghán Corcoran
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    Apr 7th 2015, 12:39 PM

    Lynk taxis. €25 free sign up. €5 per journey if you pay by card but wait there’s a €3 booking fee before you sit in the taxi. It is removed after you use your “free” €25. So, free €10 sign up.

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Apr 7th 2015, 2:02 PM

    They can’t charge €3 for booking ! €2 is max Hailo don’t charge for booking

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    Mute Seaghán Corcoran
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    Apr 8th 2015, 8:57 AM

    They do. I got a taxi that usually costs less than €5 and cost me over €8. Minus the “five” free. When you contact them they say that is taken off when your €25 is up.

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    Mute James Cleary
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    Apr 7th 2015, 2:09 PM

    I always use the lynk app ( Irish owned company)

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Apr 7th 2015, 2:44 PM

    To be fair Hailo was set up by 3 guys one Irish

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    Mute James Cullen
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    Apr 7th 2015, 6:39 PM

    it was set up back 3 London black cab drivers

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