Residents, according to a local, Moses Adamu, took to their heels in all directions into the surrounding bushes, as the insurgents, going on a shooting spree, burnt down homes and looted food items.

Adamu said the majority of the fleeing residents passed the night in the bushes while some might have found refuge in neighbouring communities.

“We are certain that two persons died of the terrorists’ gunshots, but there could be more loss of lives, which we cannot ascertain yet, because the villagers started trooping back home this afternoon, ” Adamu said.

The Borno Police Command confirmed the attack, saying that it attracted a swift response from a joint team of the military, the police and the local vigilante.

“The attack was repelled by the joint effort of the military and the police,”  the police spokesman, Nahum Kenneth, said.

“Unfortunately, two persons were killed – one of the deceased, named Mr. Badi, aged 75, and one Ngule, aged 45, died during the attack. However, the situation has since returned to normal,” he said.