Lieutenant, 6 others killed in fresh Boko Haram attack

- A lieutenant has been reportedly killed in a fresh attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Gajiram, a town 80 kilometers away from Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

- The lieutenant was killed alongside six other soldiers during an attack on a military formation in the area

A lieutenant has been reportedly killed in a fresh attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Gajiram, a town 80 kilometers away from Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

Punch reports that the lieutenant was killed alongside six other soldiers during an attack on a military formation in the area.

A civilian vigilante Babakura Kolo said a gun battle between the military and the terrorists lasted for about two hours killing three soldiers.

Kolo said after the attack, on Friday, February 24, the death toll of soldiers killed rose to seven.

READ ALSO: Army smash Boko Haram, free hostages in fresh clearance operation (photos)

“Yesterday, three bodies of soldiers were found but four more bodies were found during a search,” Kolo said.

Meanwhile a security source said three terrorists were also killed in the attack while troops of the Nigerian military are carrying out a cordon and search operation to fish out some of the insurgents around the area.

Kolo also said that the attack was possible carried out by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, a factional Boko Haram group.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Army Repels Terrorists Attack In Kogi And Geidam, 13 Dead

Last year, Barnawi had announced that his group had split from the Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau's group.

The factional terrorists' commander had said his group will focus on hitting hard target like military formation and the police in opposition to Shekau's attacks on civilians.

However, sources said the insurgents went on a food stuff raid within the community.

It was also gathered that some of the arrested insurgents had told vigilantes that they obtain their food from Gajiram and Monguno, about 60 kilometres away.

“Some displaced people were returning to their villages in the area to harvest their abandoned cornfields when they were intercepted by Boko Haram,” Kolo said.

“They killed some and took away others,” he added.

Source: Legit.ng