At least three members of a community vigilante group have been killed and about 15 others injured following an attack by suspected insurgents on Gomari community in Borno State, residents and local sources said.
The attackers reportedly carried out the mid-day assault on May 7, targeting members of the Gomari Community Vigilante Network, an affiliate of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) operating in the state.
Residents said the gunmen arrived in large numbers and opened fire indiscriminately, causing panic as people fled the area for safety. Several others sustained injuries during the attack
Sources said the insurgents stormed the office of the vigilante group led by Mallam Mallum Bukar and his assistant, Yusuf Olusesola Makanjuola.
Three members of the group were confirmed dead, while no fewer than 15 others were hospitalised after sustaining gunshot wounds during an exchange of fire between the attackers and the vigilante members,7 according to a local source.
The attack is believed to have followed earlier threats allegedly issued to the group weeks before the incident, warning them to cease their activities.
An unconfirmed number of persons were also reportedly abducted during the attack, although details remain unclear.
The whereabouts of several members of the vigilante group, including its leader and his assistant, remain unknown as of the time of filing this report.