Boko Haram suspects kill 5 in Nigeria attack

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Gunmen suspected to be members of the Islamic sect Boko Haram killed five persons, including three civilians, one policeman and one Immigration official, in an attack on Banki town in Nigeria's northern state of Borno Tuesday evening, the military said.

Spokesman for the military Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to the state, Col. Sagir Musa, said the gunmen shot sporadically in the air to scare away residents of the border town (with Cameroon) before attacking the Banki police station as well as the Immigration and Customs outpost in the town.

Many rifles and vehicles were destroyed in the attack on the police station, even though the police repelled the gunmen's attempt to burn the station.

Col. Musa said a car and two assault rifles purportedly used by the gunmen have been recovered.

Borno state is the home base of the Islamic sect, which has killed over 1,000 since 2009.
-0- PANA SEG 11April2012