Soldier fires in the air near Governor Nyako

A soldier opened fire in anger today at criticism of the military by a state governor in a part of northeast Nigeria where nearly 100 people have been killed by Islamic militants this week. There was pandemonium, with some people diving into ditches for cover and cars screeching off, as people thought the convoy of Adamawa state Governor Murtala Nyako was under attack by extremists. Nyako was visiting Shuwa, where residents say outnumbered soldiers fled and left them at the mercy of Islamic militants who killed at least 33 people in the town and nearby villages Wednesday night (local time). Scores of buildings were firebombed. Today as Nyako's convoy was driving out of Shuwa, two military vehicles blocked the road and two soldiers got out shouting, "We are here!" - apparently to imply they had not run away. When Nyako asked who they were, the soldiers shouted "Boko Haram! We are Boko Haram!" the nickname of the Islamist group terrorizing northeast Nigeria. Then a soldier in the back fired four bursts of gunfire into the air. Instead of retreating, Nyako started walking toward the firing soldier, but security agents pulled him back. The state police commissioner and director of the State Security Services was in his convoy. Advertisement A military statement said there was "pandemonium," as people thought the governor's convoy was being attacked by the extremists. It did not refer to the soldier firing into the air, but said 13 extremists were killed in attacks on their hideouts today and several arrested. Last month, a military jet bombed the convoy of Senator Ali Ndume as it travelled to an attack scene. No one was hurt. The military said it was an "operational blunder," though the convoy was led by an army vehicle with a police van in the rear. Ndume has been accused of aiding Boko Haram, and his case is still in court. Soldiers who spoke to The Associated Press this week complained that even though tens of thousands are deployed they are spread thin on the ground and outnumbered and outgunned by the insurgents. One asked how they were expected to confront terrorists firing anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenades when they are armed only with automatic rifles