The brazen attack saw insurgents fire rocket-propelled grenades and soldiers sprayed machine-gun fire into neighborhoods filled with civilians.
The fighting in Bada began Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrub lands surrounding the community on Lake Chad.
"By Sunday, when government officials finally felt safe to see the destruction; homes, businesses and vehicles were burned throughout the area.
"Authorities found and buried at least 185 bodies as at Sunday afternoon, said Lawan Kole, a Local Government official in Bada.
He spoke haltingly to Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima in the Kanuri language, surrounded by still-frightened villagers.
Brigadier-General Austin Edokpaye, also on the visit did not dispute the casualty figures. Edokpaye said the extremists used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the assault, which began after soldiers surrounded a mosque they believed housed members of the radical sect Boko Haram.
Edokpaye said extremists used civilians as human shields during the fighting- denying that soldiers opened fire in the neighborhoods where they knew civilians lived.
"When we reinforced and returned to the scene, the terrorists came out with heavy firepower, including rocket-propelled grenades, which usually has a conflagration effect," Edokpaye said.
Sunday afternoon, the burned bodies of cattle and goats stilled filled the streets. Bullet holes marred buildings.
"Everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning back to town because the governor came to town today," grocer Bashir Isa said.
"To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking corpses of women and children in the bush and creeks."
*Which way to go Nigeria... This is just sad*
Source: 234Pulse.com
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