Suspected members of the Boko Haram sect have captured Magumeri town in the restive state of Borno on Saturday, residents said.
Residents said attackers entered Magumeri, around 50 km from Borno state capital Maiduguri, around 7:00 p.m. They said the insurgents shot sporadically and threw explosive devices, prompting locals to flee to a forest.
“We hurriedly took our families to the bushes before they could get us. Almost every resident is hiding here,” said Wakil Bulama, one of two residents who spoke to Reuters by telephone.
Another report said the attack which involved dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles – was aided by sleeper cells in the surrounding area, locals said.
A military source who did not want to be identified told Reuters that Magumeri had been attacked but could not confirm whether it had been seized.
No report about the attack from the Nigerian Military yet
