KANO, Nigeria (AFP) - Boko Haram militants on Thursday raided a cement facility owned by French group Lafarge as part of an attack on two towns in northeast Nigeria, witnesses said.

"The gunmen kept shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and firing guns haphazardly. They went into the cement factory and took away some vehicles," said Samail Adnan, who lives in Ashaka, in Gombe state.

A company staff member, who asked not to be identified, said the factory was evacuated before the raid.