At least 30 persons were killed when suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked passengers in Auno, a town 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

The passengers who were en route to Maiduguri were attacked around 10pm on Sunday.

They had stopped over at Auno as a result of the blockade of the road into the state capital, according to sources familiar with the incident.

Dogo Shettima, an aide to Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno state, said the insurgents burnt about 18 vehicles at the scene of the attack.

They were also said to have abducted many persons, including women and children.

Shettima said Zulum visited the scene on Monday morning and restated the commitment of relevant authorities to ending the insurgency.

The attack came shortly after Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, said insurgents have resorted to “soft targets” — including road travellers — and propaganda in carrying out their operations.

In a recent interview with newsmen, the Chief of Army State, General Tukur Buratai said the war against Boko Haram which has lasted for more than 10 years has improved from what it used to be years ago, although there has been a “minimal resurgence”.

“Insurgency is not what you defeat and it would just fizzle out; they would revert to other tactics. That is terrorism,” he had said.

“They will promote propaganda, to the effect that all the institutions of government would be seen to be ineffective. This is what they are doing. They are exploiting the fault lines in our economic and political endeavours to expand the gulf of so-called discord and acrimony amongst various ethnic and religious groups.

“Why are they doing this propaganda, blocking the road and capturing individuals because they are of a particular religion? Unfortunately, they murder those individuals and send it to the world.

These are propaganda strategies of the terrorists.”