Suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers struck the town of Banki, a town on the border with Cameroon some 130km southeast of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri on Wednesday killing at least 7 people.
News of the attack was slow to emerge because of the poor to non-existent telecommunications in the remote area.
“Two female suicide bombers came by a checkpoint manned by CJTF (civilian joint task force) and the military at about 06:30 (05:30 GMT) yesterday (Wednesday),” the vigilante said.
“They successively detonated their explosives. One of them died instantly while the second one was badly injured.
“She died on the way to Maiduguri because she was evacuated along with the wounded. Seven people were killed including two women and their infants.
“A vigilante and two residents were also killed. Nine people were injured and we brought them to Maiduguri for medical attention.”
Boko Haram has carried out suicide bombings often using women and girls as part of its armed campaign to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
Mosques, crowded markets, bus stations and military checkpoints have been frequent targets.
But in February, two female suicide bombers killed at least 58 at camp for those made homeless by the insurgency in Dikwa, some 90km from Maiduguri.
That attack raised security fears about the safety of internally displaced people (IDPs), whom the government is encouraging to return home.
Suicide bombers also tried to get inside one of the biggest IDP camps near Maiduguri in January after a Boko Haram attack on a nearby village that killed at least 85.
