Five churches in Kwajaffa, Tashan Alade and surrounding communities in Hawul local government area of Borno State, have allegedly been burnt down by suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram.

Hawul is a predominantly Christian enclave in the southern part of the state bordering Garkida, a town in Adamawa State.

A member of the local vigilante group in Maiduguri, Hassan Ibrahim, said the suspected Boko Haram militants invaded the affected communities on Wednesday night, targeting only churches.

Ibrahim said Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs and petrol bombs were used to raze down the five churches, but noted that no life was lost in the unchallenged attack.

He said the gunmen promised to return and that their next target is the Hawul council headquarters secretariat, which they have sworn to destroy.

Also speaking to journalists, the caretaker chairman of Hawul local council, Andrew Usman Malgwi, confirmed the burning of churches in some of the communities in the area as well as the threat from the insurgents to return.

Usman, therefore, called on the government and security agencies to immediately deploy troops to safeguard lives and property of innocent citizens in the area.

The high rate of insurgency attack in the area was traced to alleged setting camps by Boko Haram men around Zhur, Pelachiroma and Kwajaffa hills and valleys.