About five people have been killed and 11 others injured after a suspected terrorist group fired a mortar bomb into Damboa town in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The terrorist group reportedly stormed Waluri Bridge in Damboa Town at about 8:30 pm and attacked a civilian Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) location.
Two anti-jihadist militia commanders told AFP on Sunday that scores of fighters attempted to invade the town of Damboa late on Friday but met stiff resistance from the paramilitary outfit that works alongside the armed forces.
A security source in the report said after the terrorists could not gain access to the town, the attackers fired a mortar bomb into the town.
A militia leader in the region, Babakura Kolo, described the attackers’ futile attempt, saying, “out of desperation, the insurgents fired an RPG on the town, taking the lives of five innocent souls and inflicting severe injuries on 11 others.”
The five dead victims were buried on Saturday, while the injured were flown to the regional capital Maiduguri aboard a helicopter for medical attention, said Ibrahim Liman, a second militia commander.
The army, whose troops were in the town guarding the military base, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Damboa, around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Maiduguri, which lies on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a game reserve that has become a jihadist enclave, has been repeatedly targeted by fighters who attack residents and a military base.
