At least 24 people killed in northern Nigeria attack

At least 24 people were killed by suspected members of Islamist extremist sect Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, local newspaper Vanguard reported Monday (26/05/2014).

More than 20 insurgents armed with assault rifles and explosives attacked the village of Kamuyya in Borno State during a weekly Sunday market.

The gunmen fired into the crowd before setting shops and vehicles on fire. More than 100 houses were burnt down, witnesses said.

"The militants, armed with sophisticated weapons, raided the area and proceeded to the major market. They began to shoot sporadically into the crowd, killing 24 people on the spot and burnt most of the shops in the market," said resident Bukar Umar.

"The invaders snatched several vehicles and loaded them with bags of foodstuff before fleeing the area," Umar added. The attack comes a day after a suicide bomber killed eight people in the central Nigerian town of Jos.

More than 100 people were killed in suspected Boko Haram attacks in central and northern Nigeria in the past week. - Sapa-dpa