The horrific aftermath of Boko Haram massacre on Nigerian villages: Before and after satellite images lay bare destruction caused by militants in attack that killed 2,500 people

                       

The destruction caused by Islamist militants in Nigeria when they slaughtered an estimated 2,500 people and killed a woman while she was in labour have been revealed in shocking new satellite images.

Terror group Boko Haram outraged the world last week when they indiscriminately murdered innocent men, women and children as they attacked the towns of Baga and Doron Baga.

Now, new images obtained by Amnesty International show how the towns were devastated by the assault - with more than 3,700 structures including houses and schools completely destroyed.

                  
                  

In the pictures taken beforehand, the areas in red show buildings and trees in the densely packed towns in the north of the country.

But in the pictures taken after the massacre, they have been decimated and the infra-red satellite images instead reveal grey areas where the militants savagely razed the towns.

The destruction shown in these images matches the horrific stories from eyewitnesses revealing how Boko Haram militants shot hundreds of civilians in cold blood.

One witness described how the ruthless terror group were shooting indiscriminately, killing even small children and a woman who was in labour.

He added: 'Half of the baby boy is out and she died like this.'

Ibrahim Gambo, a 25-year-old truck driver, survived the relentless attack in Baga but he still doesn't know if his wife and daughter are safe.

He said: 'As we were running for our lives, we came across many corpses, both men and women, and even children.

'Some had gunshot wounds in the head and some had their legs bound and hands tied behind their backs.'

Yahaya Takakumi, a 55-year-old farmer, revealed to Nigeria's Premium Times how he managed to flee Baga with one of his wives - but does not know if his four children, his second wife or his elder brother managed to escape. 

He said: 'We saw dead bodies especially, on the islands of Lake Chad where fishermen had settled. Several persons were killed there like insects.'

Mr Takakumi said the Islamic extremists opened fire on vessels carrying fleeing residents across the lake.

Daniel Eyre, Nigeria researcher for Amnesty International, said this was the 'largest and most destructive' Boko Haram assault his organisation has ever analysed.

He added: 'These detailed images show devastation of catastrophic proportions in two towns, one of which was almost wiped off the map in the space of four days. 

'It represents a deliberate attack on civilians whose homes, clinics and schools are now burnt out ruins.