Two suspected members of the Islamic sect Boko Haram were killed and 26 others arrested by the Nigerian military in the northern Maiduguri city for their alleged involvement in the killing of two Indians.
Lt Col Sagir Musa, spokesman of the Joint Task Force in the city, said that those killed and arrested in a special operation on Thursday and Friday were suspected of being responsible for the killings and injury as well as other attacks within the vicinity.
Two Indians -- Shanker Saha, 35, and Bokul Chander Mondal, 35 -- were knifed and stabbed to death on Wednesday when they were attacked in a Gum Arabic factory in the city.
Another Indian, Biresh Yadav, 43, was injured in the attack. The victims hailed from West Bengal and were working with M/s Adebar Trades and Industries Ltd in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The injured Indian is undergoing treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital following cuts in his neck.
"Following intelligence report available to the military, special operation was conducted on Thursday and Friday which led to the arrest of 26 terrorists and the killings of two suspected members of Boko Haram at Biafra Bula-bulin, Kasuwan Shanu and GRA in Maiduguri metropolis," Lt Col Musa said.
"Some of the suspects killed and arrested were responsible for the killings of the two Indians, a cleric and several other killings in Maiduguri in the past," Musa said, adding that some weapons were recovered from the suspects.
Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, had demanded prompt investigation into the attack on Indian nationals.
Boko Haram has been waging a sustained war in Nigeria's northern cities in their bid to install an Islamic emirate in the country.
In January, the sect attacked the city of Kano killing more than 180 persons, including an Indian national identified as Kevalkumar Kalidas Rajput and his two Nepalese colleagues.
