More than 10 villagers have been killed in an air strike by Nigerien Airforce during a pursuit of Boko Haram insurgents into Buhari village, a Yobe community, hospital and security sources said reports Premium Times.

The sources informed PREMIUM TIMES that the Nigerien Air Force launched the airstrike on Buhari village in Yunusari Local Government, north of Yobe from Damaturu, the state capital, while chasing Boko Haram fighters into the village.

Yunusari, which shares an international border with Niger Republic, has an area of 3,790 km2 and a population of 125,821, according to the 2006 census.

A source at Geidam General Hospital told our correspondent that over 20 wounded villages had been brought to the hospital.

The source added that about 10 people were feared killed in the attack.

“We have admitted over 20 people at the Geidam General Hospital as at the time I am talking to you now. As for the number of deaths, no death was brought to the hospital but we learnt that over ten people were killed in the village,” the source revealed.

A vigilante source informed that the jet that dropped bombs on the village belongs to the Nigerien Airforce.

“From what we heard, it is the Nigerien Airforce that were pursuing Boko Haram into that village. The casualty is high but no one is sure of the figure,” the source informed.

The Chairman of Yunusari Local Government, Bukar Gaji, confirmed the incident but could not give details of the casualty figure.

He said his people were in pains and grief over the unfortunate incident.

Yobe State Police spokesperson, Dungus Abdulkareem, said, “It is a military affair and the police in Yobe do not have details concerning the incident.”.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Nigerian troops have already cordoned off the area, denying any other security agents, including the Nigerian police, access to the village.