A vigilante commander and four civilians have been killed, while scores of others sustained injuries following an attack on Wumbi community in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.
The Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying a vigilante leader and four others were killed during the attack. He added that further details would be released when available.
Wumbi, an agrarian community bordering Cameroon, has reportedly been largely deserted due to insecurity, with some residents taking refuge across the border and returning to farm under the protection of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members and vigilantes.
Sources said the attack occurred on Monday, September 21, but information was delayed because of the absence of telecommunications networks in the area.
According to one source, the attackers arrived in large numbers armed with rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other weapons, forcing many farmers to flee.
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The source alleged that the attackers surrounded and killed the vigilante commander before placing his remains on an IED and leaving the area. When CJTF members, vigilantes and civilians later gathered to evacuate the remains, the explosive reportedly detonated, killing four more people and injuring scores of others.
The circumstances surrounding the attack could not be independently verified.
