TheCable

Residents in the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno state capital, fled towards different directions on Sunday following indiscriminate shooting by some soldiers.

The situation forced many women, children and elderly people in Damboa road and Polo general area to scamper for safety.

Residents told NAN that they started hearing gunshots around 3pm, though unsure if soldiers were test-firing equipment.

Haruna Kachala, a civilian joint task force(CJTF) official, said the gunshots came from the soldiers stationed at the state hotel along Damboa road bye pass while on their way to relieve their colleagues at Molai general area.

“Initially, we thought the military were test firing their equipment, but when the other troops at Molai general responded to the fire, residents ran helter skelter,” he said.

Bukar Mala, a resident of Damboa road, said they fled for safety when they heard continuous shootings from the two different locations.

He said they thought that the Boko Haram insurgents had arrived the town.

A combined team of hunters, CJTF and the federal special anti-robbery squad (FSARS) moved to scene to assess the situation.