At least 20 killed in extremist attack in Nigeria

A witness and officials say at least 20 people have been killed in an attack by Islamic extremists on a military base in northeast Nigeria.

The attack happened on Sunday in the village of Monguno, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the city of Maiduguri.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement all those killed were believed to be fighters from the radical Islamic terrorist network Boko Haram. However, witnesses said at least one of the dead appeared to be a civilian.

Military officials in Nigeria routinely downplay civilian casualties. Boko Haram and its splinter groups are waging a bloody guerrilla campaign against Nigeria’s weak central government.