Three explosions, a market raid and a gun attack on a private house in Maiduguri yesterday by suspected members of Boko Haram left residents lamenting another bloody day.<\/span><\/p>\n Three members of an Islamic cleric\u2019s family were reported killed in the gun attack while two died in the market raid.<\/span><\/p>\n The explosions were said to have occurred close to the market shortly after the Jumat service but caused no casualties.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the Joint Task Force (JTF) denied any explosion.<\/span><\/p>\n The raid sparked pandemonium in the market with buyers and sellers running for their lives.One person was injured and was taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n The armed invaders were said to have gone from one shop to the other robbing traders of cash and other valuables.<\/span><\/p>\n Men of the JTF, who were dispatched to the market, succeeded in chasing the Boko Haram members away.<\/span><\/p>\n Spokesman for the JTF, Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Mohammed confirmed the market raid. He said the task force was contacted at about 3pm and it reacted promptly.<\/span><\/p>\n They subsequently cordoned off the area and embarked on a search for the suspects. No arrest had been made at press time.<\/span><\/p>\n In the other attack, gunmen reportedly stormed the residence of the Islamic cleric simply identified as Modu close to the Railway Quarters.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Boko Haram sect members came this morning looking for Modu, but as he had already gone out, they opened fire on members of his family, killing three of them,\u201d a witness, Baba Lawan, told Reuters.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has solicited the support of Nigeria\u2019s neighbouring states to curb the excesses of religious extremist groups in Nigeria and by extension in the sub-region.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Jonathan spoke yesterday while receiving the Deputy Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Mr. Mohame Bazoum, where he said the cooperation of Nigeria’s neighbouring countries is imperative to halting the activities of the extremist group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “The perpetrators pass through borders at will and we have to ensure that there are no safe havens for them in the sub-region,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Jonathan reiterated the Federal Government\u2019s resolve to fight Boko Haram, calling them the “group of evil-minded people who want to cause anarchy to the end.”<\/span><\/p>\n Saying that both Muslims and Christians were victims of the explosives planted by Boko Haram, Jonathan called for a concerted effort by \u00a0well-meaning Nigerians to bring this problem under control.<\/span><\/p>\n