Hundreds flee Nigerian city after attacks by militants

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Hundreds flee Nigerian city after attacks by militants

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Hundreds of residents of a Nigerian city fled due to militants attacks.

21 October,2012 06:47 pm

The residents of a northeastern Nigerian city were fleeing Sunday after three days of Islamist attacks that left at least 31 dead and many buildings and properties razed, witnesses said.The troubled city of Potiskum had been under security lockdown since Thursday with troops patrolling the streets and residents keeping in-doors for fear of new attacks.Security was relaxed Sunday morning and hundreds of residents took advantage to flee the restive city.A fleeing resident, Hamisu Nababa, said he was leaving with his entire family.Potiskum, the commercial hub of Yobe state, has been hard hit by near daily attacks by Boko Haram Islamists in recent weeks, prompting heavy deployment of troops and armoured vehicles to forestall fresh violence.A wave of attacks by suspected Islamists which began on Thursday left at least 31 people dead and several buildings destroyed.Residents said the toll could be higher as some relations had taken some bodies from the streets for burial.Boko Harams insurgency in northern and central Nigeria and the states military response are believed to have left more than 2,800 people dead since 2009.Nigeria, Africas most populous nation and largest oil producer, is divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.