According to an unnamed military source of SaharaReporters, over 10 soldiers lost their lives in a gunfight. The number of perished policemen may have reached 12 people. The Divisional Police Officer and the Divisional Crime Officer might have also died in the assault.
At the same time, BBC Africa gives similar, but bigger number of victims:
The military in #Nigeria says suspected members of #BokoHaram have killed 11 soldiers & 13 police officers in the state of #Yobe.
- BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica) May 27, 2014
A source of the Punch confimed that a total of 25 security operatives died in combat: 14 soldiers and 11 policemen.
An update by Reuters stated that at least 31 security officers were killed; out of them, 17 were the soldiers. The agency referred to its source in the capital city of Yobe State, Damaturu.
A group of Boko Haram fighters, wearing military uniforms without any signs, entered the town in the dusk. The insurgents have allegedly targeted a military facility at Buni Yadi, which is located not far from a police facility.
The terrorists, who were driving an armoured personnel carrier and six Hilux vehicles with heavy weapons installed on them, engaged the military in a gun fight, which lasted for no fewer than three hours.
The local source further added that the residence of the district head, court building, local police headquarters were set ablaze.
The most untypical fact about the attack is that the insurgents did not shoot at civilians. Boko Haram fighters declared that they came for a reprisal attack and that their target were the officers of security forces only.
None of the top military officials spoke about the Monday's assault with the press. The source of SaharaReporters explained such silence by the order, which banned sharing the details of the attacks due to the seriousness of its nature.
It has been gathered that moral of the locals and of the military is low. Tensions in Buni Yadi were high, because the fear of another possible Boko Haram attack was in the air.
It would be noted that Adamawa, Borno and Yobe remain under the state of emergency rule for another period of six months. Yobe is considered as the 'second hub' of extremists, as Boko Haram members may be spotted walking freely in broad daylight. This state is also described as a 'safe area' for the sect, who had intensified its terror in the neighbouring Borno State, their home base.
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