At least four security personnel, soldiers likely, were killed Saturday night when gunmen believed to be Boko Haram insurgents attacked a security checkpoint near the border town of Banki in Borno State, security sources said.
This came barely 72 hours after Boko Haram gunmen staged a deadly assault on security operatives and civilians in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred at the Bama-Banki junction along the road to Gwoza.
It was gathered that the gunmen appeared in their full gear, carrying rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and improvised explosive devises (IEDs) with which they attacked the security checkpoint at about 11:26pm on Saturday.
A security source who pleaded anonymity said the gunmen took the security personnel by surprise and ‘overpowered them.’
“They killed four of those on security guard at the post and left with their patrol vehicle.The terrorists set ablaze the entire village houses, a filling station and shops there before they fled; no arrest was made,” said the source
A commercial vehicle driver Mallam Yakubu Musa told journalists in Maiduguri that smoke from the burning houses were still billowing into the skies as he drove past the area
