’63 killed’ as Boko Haram hits Borno village

Boko Haram insurgents have reportedly killed 63 people in Malari, a village in Borno state.

An aid worker at a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Monguno, a town in Borno, disclosed this to Reuters.

The aid worker said hundreds of survivors from villages in the area have fled to the IDP camp.

Abatcha Umar, a witness, said the attack took place in the early hours of Sunday.

Umar said he counted 19 bodies, including that of his younger brother.

He added that the militants were spotted around the village three days before their attack and that residents informed soldiers stationed in the nearby town of Gudumbali, but no action was taken.

Boko Haram fighters reportedly arrived in trucks firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

The attack comes weeks after many soldiers were killed in an ambush in the north-east.

Boko Haram has continued to carry out attacks in the north-east despite efforts by government to subdue the group.