The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi has told journalists that only ten people were killed on Sunday night in the fresh Boko Haram attack at Auno, a town 25 kilometres from Maiduguri. This is contrary to reports that at least 30 people were killed in the incident.

The attack, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of Maiduguri, occurred in an area where fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province have been active in mounting roadblocks to target security forces and civilians.

The Theatre Commander told journalists that his men averted another tragedy that would have brought sadness by rescuing three school children abducted by Boko Haram along Gubio road.

He also advised people to plan their movement along the Damaturu/ Maiduguri road to avoid being stuck in some dangerous locations.

“We normally close the Damaturu road by 5.00pm and it is expected that you time your movement very well so that you get to Maiduguri by 5.00pm or Damaturu by 5.00pm because the soldiers cannot leave to fight Boko Haram and come back to protect people sleeping on the road who refuse to obey the law in the first place,” Maj. Gen. Adeniyi advised.

“We will do more to ensure that incident like this do not happen again. I am calling on all stakeholders to make the Maiduguri/Damaturu road safe until the people realise that there is a counter insurgency going on throughout the northeast,” he said