Boko Haram militants burn down homes, kill dozens in 16 towns

The Boko Haram group has reportedly wreaked havoc on 16 different towns in Nigeria, burning down homes and killing dozens of citizens.

A government official confirmed news of the latest attacks to the Agence France-Presse.

"They burnt to the ground all the 16 towns and villages including Baga, Dorn-Baga, Mile 4, Mile 3, Kauyen Kuros and Bunduram," said Musa Bukar, head of the Kukawa local government in Borno state.

BBC News reported that the extremist group overran a military base on Sunday and took control of Baga and its neighboring towns when the military troops retreated.

The group’s suspected leader, Abubakar Shekau, was thought to have been killed during standoffs with the Nigerian Army. A recent video posted online though shows a man who appears to be Shekau, threatening more attacks. However, the video is shot from a distance and officials have not confirmed if it is in fact him.

Boko Haram, which has committed many violent acts in the country since 2009, is against Western and non-Islamic education.

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