Thirty-nine people died and 30 were seriously wounded in clashes in Taraba state after a Christian funeral procession passed through a Muslim neighborhood. Gunmen arrived in a convoy of 50 Hilux vans in the Boko Haram stronghold of Marte in Borno state and burned down all the public buildings, including schools, hospitals, and telecommunications masts, after warning residents to leave. Boko Haram gunmen kidnapped an elder statesman in Maiduguri and killed another Borno state official the night before. The military’s Joint Task Force warned that Boko Haram has formed a special squad to kidnap influential people, including foreigners.
