MAIDUGURI: Members of the New Life Gospel Church are mourning the death of three members of a family killed by Boko Haram during a night attacks on communities in the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on May 24,2016.

At least not less than 13 persons were reportedly killed when the insurgents over ran about five communities of Ladin Buta near Khaddamari village of Jere Local Government Area of Borno state.

Jere council headquarters is north East and about seven kilometers drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

The sect members were reported to have invaded the communities around 7pm and set ablaze many houses after killing 13 residents and injurying scores of others.

Among the victims are three members of a Christian family. The victims identified as Mr Lucky Okoro, his wife Elizabeth and son Victor were reportedly hacked to death after their home had been set ablaze by the insugents.

The Okoros are Christians from Delta State and had lived in the war torn North East of the country for nearly a decade.

Mr Lucky Okoro was a trucker and he and his family were leading members of the New Life Gospel Church in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. They were said to have relocated to Ladin Buta in Jere Council, north east of Borno state a few months ago before they were brutally murdered.

The news of their brutal killing by the Boko Haram sect threw the congregation into a mourning mood last Sunday, with the head pastor of the New Life Gospel Church, Bishop Paul Awanda, proclaiming three days of mourning in honour of the Okoros and other victims of Boko Haram attacks.

The clergyman condemned the persistent killings of innocent citizens by the Islamist sect, and called on government to act quickly and decisively to end the insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.

He described the death of the Okoros as another sad chapter in the history of the church as they were all devoted Christians committed to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in the North East.

Boko Haram have carried out many attacks against the military, police and civilians since 2009 – mostly in Nigeria, but also in Cameroon.

This year, 2016 has seen increase in the number of attacks by the sect in and around Maiduguri. Several thousands of people, mostly Christians have been killed with millions displaced from their homes as e result of the Boko Haram insurgency.