At least 25 killed in election day attack by Boko Haram in Nigeria

ABUJA (Xinhua) - At least 25 people were killed in an attack suspected to be a perpetration of Boko Haram on a community in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno early Saturday, the same day a crucial presidential election was held, an official of the West African country said.

Five persons sustained injuries in the same attack at Buratai community, located in the southern part of Borno, state governor Kashim Shettima told Xinhua in Maiduguri, capital of the province.

"I received report of the attack this morning. This attack is callous, wicked and cowardly," Shettima said after voting in Maiduguri.

He said a senior member of the state cabinet was delegated to attend the funeral of the deceased on Saturday, adding he will also visit the area to commiserate with members of the community and bereaved families after the ongoing presidential and national assembly polls.

A senior security officer, who pleaded for anonymity, said government forces had immediately swung into action in search of the gunmen. "We will get them, they're actually frustrated," the source said.

Saturday's attack was carried out less than 24 hours after the Nigerian military said it had triumphed over Boko Haram and liberated Gwoza, also a southern Borno community, from the terror group.

The military said Friday it was conducting a massive cordon and search to locate any of the fleeing terrorists or hostages in their custody. It added the mop up operation in Gwoza and other liberated areas were to ensure that no vestiges of terrorists or terrorism remain in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.