16 Persons Killed, Several Houses Burnt In Borno

At least about 16 people were killed yesterday in a clash between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and some suspected terrorists in Lawan Bukar street, Abbaganaram, Budum and Shehuri wards of Maiduguri metropolis, while several others sustained various degree of injuries.

It was reported that the heavy gun duel and multiple explosions which rocked the troubled city on Tuesday evening up to Wednesday afternoon has left thousands of residents of the affected areas to remain indoors in the last 24 hours, as the men of the JTF who had condoned off the area has warned residents to stay in-door while they engaged the terrorists on face to face battle .

It could not be ascertained whether members of the JTF were among those killed or non, even as the Field Operation Commander of the JTF, Col. Victor Ebhaleme told Journalists that those killed were all members of the terrorists, and none of his men was killed.

Abbaganaram, Budum, Lawan Bukar street is where the family house of the serving governor Kashim Shettima is located, but they were forced to flee from the troubled area a day to the clash.

It would be recalled that the incident took place at about 5pm to 6pm on Tuesday when some suspected terrorists attacked one of the JTF local base in Budum area before the peace-keeping operation made a u-turn and repelled them in a gun battle which lasted for hours.