Two separate attacks by suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect has left at least 25 members of the Civilian JTF in Dawashi Village of Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, a border town with Niger and Chad Republic residents and officials said on Tuesday.

Some five members of volunteer vigilante group hunting Boko Haram were among the 25 killed, a report by the Associated Press (AP) said.

A statement by the Spokesperson of the Multi National Joint Task Force, Lieutenant Haruna Sani said “A group of Civilian Joint Task Force from Maiduguri stormed the village Dawashi in search of Boko Haram members when the suspected sect members came armed and fired sporadic shots that killed over twenty innocent civilians while a dozen secured serious gunshot injuries.

The victims are mostly fishermen and traders who pursue their legitimate business in the area. As at the time of compiling this report, the victims were still lying within the premises of MNJTF Field Ambulance receiving medical treatment from the injury sustained during the attack”.

He however commended the“Excellent Civil Military Relations and humanitarian gesture demonstrated by Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)” adding that “a dozen of Boko Haram victims affected by the attack in Dawashe District of Kukawa Local Government Borno State got medical treatment in the Headquarters Field Ambulance in Baga”.

Sani also assured that “heavily armed Quick Reaction Group from MNJTF had been deployed to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area. The general area of Dawashi, Daban Masara and Malan Karanti are known to be suspected Boko Haram strongholds.”

Also, JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, in a statement to newsmen said the vigilante youths were on operation in Mainok town over the weekend.

He said that in the course of their operation, they were attacked by suspected Boko Haram members.

Sagir said both the deceased and the wounded were in Shehu Umar Specialist Hospital Bulumkutu in Maiduguri metropolis.

He added that on hearing the news at about 11p.m. last Friday, JTF troops were drafted to the area and have been operating on Mainok and surrounding villages to apprehend the bandits, pointing out that the situation in the area was now calm.