A pregnant woman and five others have been killed in Damboa, Borno State, following an attack by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
In the attack, which reportedly took place on Sunday, seven other persons were also injured.
However, troops of the Nigerian Army equally killed a number of the insurgents.
According to community members, the insurgents stormed the town in seven gun trucks and 12 motorbikes and headed straight to the army base.
“It was our market day, villagers went to the market. As we were preparing to return to our homes, we heard cars passing; then shortly, we heard gunshots from the army base.
“The army engaged the insurgents for hours after which the Boko Haram fighters ran away. The people that were killed were people coming back from the market, they ran into the attack. Six civilians were killed, one pregnant woman, one Almajiri and four other men,” a resident said.
According to the resident, the insurgents regrouped and returned to the army base in the early hours of Tuesday but the army repelled them.
The spokesman for Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Ado Isa, could not be reached as his phone lines failed to connect.
But men of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Damboa confirmed the attack, stating that 22 insurgents were killed while five soldiers paid the supreme price.
