Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a military checkpoint in Sabon Garin Kimba village in Borno State, killing five soldiers.
It was learnt that the terrorists, who came out in their scores and believed to belong to the Abu Al-Barnawi faction, stormed the checkpoint, which is about 140 kilometres to Maiduguri, the state capital, in the late hours on Monday, killing the soldiers and injuring five others.
According to the Agence France-Presse, local residents in Sabon Garin Kimba and a military officer confirmed the deaths, noting that the jihadists’ raid on the military post was unexpected.
“Our men were outgunned and outnumbered,” the source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident, told AFP.
“We lost five men in the fight. Five more were injured,” he added.
A civilian, Mustapha Karimbe, who assisted the military, said the terrorists took away military vehicles and burned three armoured cars along the makeshift sheds at the checkpoint.
“The terrorists attacked the soldiers and remained in the village for about three hours before they withdrew,” he said.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.Gen. Sani Usman, could not be reached for comment as of press time.
