As terrified villagers scattered into the bush in Baga town and surrounding villages, the gunmen unloaded motorcycles from their truck and chased after them.
Residents hid under scant brush. Bullets pierced through them.
Some sought refuge in their homes. They were burned alive.
Many who tried to cross into neighboring Chad drowned while trying to swim through Lake Chad.
By the time the weapons went quiet, local officials reported death tolls ranging from hundreds to as many as 2,000 people.
Bodies everywhere
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“From information we are receiving from residents nearby, not a single Nigerian soldier has shown up in Baga since it was seized by Boko Haram,” he said. “It is all propaganda.”
Critics have accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s government of not doing enough to address the insurgency, which mostly affects opposition strongholds.
Nigeria is holding presidential elections next month. Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan launched his re-election bid in a raucous rally in Lagos.
He did not say a word about the massacres.
CNN’s Faith Karimi wrote and reported from Atlanta, and Aminu Abubakar reported from Kano.
