TheCable

At least six people were killed when suspected Boko Haram militants raided Bale Mamman, a village near Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.

Reuters quoted Aderemi Opadokun, the state commissioner of police, as saying the militants entered Bale Mamman to rustle livestock on Tuesday evening.

According to the news agency, Opadokun said six persons were shot dead before the arrival of the security personnel.

But a military and a vigilante source said eight people were killed and four women abducted during the battle that lasted about three hours.

Also on Wednesday, a senior Cameroonian military source said Boko Haram had killed a soldier from Cameroon in a cross-border incursion from Nigeria.

The battle took place in Achigachia in Cameroon’s far north region on Tuesday, said the source, who estimated the attackers may have lost around 20 men in the firefight.

“They attacked on two fronts at around 2:30 am. (0130 GMT),” said the source. “During the battle we lost a chief sergeant. Also, a lieutenant was wounded in the arm.”

Boko Haram has killed more than 600 people in a series of raids and bombings since President Muhammadu Buhari took office on May 29.

Buhari has vowed to crush the insurgents and travelled to different countries to seek support but the group has stepped up frequent target of raids and suicide bombings in Nigeria and neighbouring countries that contributed to the regional offensive tackling insurgency.