18 Dead In Fresh Borno Boko Haram Attack

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Sunday killed 18 and injured 17 members of the youth vigilante group, popularly known as Civilian JTF, in Benishiek town of Borno State.

Benishiek is the headquarters of Kaga local government area, 72 kilometers west of Maiduguri. The vigilantes also reportedly killed five of the attackers and recovered four pump-action guns from them.

However, spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Sagir Musa, said only six members of the vigilantes died in the encounter.

“Following the attack, six vigilante members were killed and five Boko Haram terrorists were also killed,” he said adding that “some elements of the 2nd Brigade troops have been drafted to the area and the attack was successfully repelled,” he said.

Comrade Garba Ngamdu, the Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima, confirmed that 18 members of the Civilian JTF who sustained gunshot injuries are currently receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

Ngamdu, who was seen at UMTH, said efforts are being made by state and local government officials to give the surviving members the best treatment.

He said, “The youths in Benishiek lost 13 of their members. 12 died when they were ambushed around 12.30am and another one died in the hospital when doctors were carrying out surgical operation to remove bullets from his stomach.”

He said before the attack, the youth’s vigilantes had information that the insurgents were planning to attack them and therefore mobilised and informed the military operatives in the locality.