'Dozens of fishermen killed' in attack by suspected Islamic Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria
- A fisherman said he saw the terrorists gun down the men in cold blood
- Security officials have not yet confirmed details of the mass slaughter
- Many residents are now fleeing the region following the savage attack
Witnesses say dozens of fishermen were killed in an attack by suspected Islamic extremists in the northeastern Nigerian town of Doron Baga.
Fisherman Usman Abubakar said that the suspected Islamic militants of Boko Haram drove into the town of Doron Baga, close to the border with Chad, and shot people on sight.
He said there were 60 bodies.
Security officials have not yet responded to questions about on Thursday's attack. Gideon Jubrin, spokesman for the Borno state police, said he has not received any official confirmation of the attack.
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Fisherman Usman Abubakar said Boko Haram drove into the town of Doron Baga, close to the border with Chad, and shot 60 people. He said he, his wife and three children hid in their home before fleeing
Pictured, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. The group has killed thousands across Nigeria
'I counted 60 bodies with my own eyes,' Abubakar said.
He said he, his wife and three children hid in their home before fleeing to the state capital of Maiduguri about 124 miles away.
Abubakar said he is among the many residents who are fleeing Borno and returning to their state of origin, Sokoto in northwestern Nigeria.
'Boko Haram members laid ambush for traders who came to buy fish in Doron Baga ... they killed more than 40 of them and carted away the fishes some them had bought,' a resident in Maiduguri, Mallam Ali Jatu, said.
People gather around burnt cars near St Theresa Catholic Church after a bomb blast in Nigeria's capital Abuja on December 25, 2011. The nation has been hit by bombings and shootings attributed to Boko Haram
Communication in the area is difficult because Boko Haram have destroyed mobile phone masts across the northeastern region, which means attacks often go unreported for days.
Baga was the site of a mass killing in April 2013 where almost 200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed in crossfire between the Nigerian troops and Boko Haram.
An attack on Wednesday in Azaya Kura village in Borno left at least 45 people dead when Boko Haram members surged through the village raiding homes and stealing livestock.
At least 1.5 million people have fled their homes since Nigeria declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states in May 2013, according to U.N. figures
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