Boko Haram gunman killed at least 69 people and razed a village to the ground in northern Nigeria’s Borno state on Tuesday afternoon, three sources told Reuters.

The men attacked the village of Faduma Koloram, in Gubio local government area of Borno state, starting about noon.

They arrived in vehicles and on motorcycles, shooting with AK-47s, razing the village and stealing 1,200 cattle and camels. A resident, a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) member and a soldier each confirmed the same account.

They said the men attacked because they suspected residents of sharing information on Boko Haram’s movements with security authorities.

“It’s an unfortunate day for us to witness this,” said CJTF fighter Kachallah Bumu. While he said the residents were armed, and had repelled previous attacks, this one caught them off guard.

“They took us unaware and killed our people,” he said.

A military spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have killed thousands and displaced millions in northeastern Nigeria. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Reuters)

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