Official says attackers gouged out eyes of some survivors of raid on Dumba village

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

Islamist extremists have been accused of cutting the throats of 44 villagers in continuing attacks in an Islamic uprising in north-east Nigeria.

An official from the National Emergency Management Agency said on Saturday the attackers hit Dumba village in Borno state before dawn on Tuesday. He said the method of killing was to avoid gunfire which could attract security forces.

He said the attackers gouged out the eyes of some of the survivors.

Dumba is near the fishing village of Baga, where security forces gunned down 187 civilians in March in retaliation for an attack by extremists.

It is difficult to get information from the area, which is under a state of emergency with mobile phone and internet services cut.

Borno is one of three north-eastern states under a state of emergency declared on 14 May to crack down on the Boko Haram terrorist network.

Since 2010 more than 1,700 people have been killed in attacks by Islamist insurgents, according to an Associated Press count.