Five security personnel killed by jihadists in Borno

Jihadists killed five Nigerian security personnel in a gunfight outside Maiduguri, the main city in Borno State, security sources said Wednesday. The state is the restive northeast of the country.

A joint military and police patrol came under fire Tuesday from fighters aligned to the so-called Islamic State group near Buta village, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Maiduguri, security personnel told AFP.

“We lost two soldiers, two policemen and one militiaman in the attack,” a military officer said on condition of anonymity.

The officer said it was an “unexpected encounter as the terrorists were heading somewhere to launch an attack when they bumped into the patrol team”.