Residents of settlements near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital Sunday night fled their homes after Boko Haram fighters resurfaced, shooting sporadically in the area.
Survivors told AFP how Sunday attacks happened during which they fled for their lives.
The insurgents in several trucks stormed Maiborti village, five kilometres outside Maiduguri, firing indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze according to eye witnesses.
Local news agencies reported that troops and fighter jets were deployed to the village and scrambled to push out the militants after “fierce battle”.
Figures of casualties were not certain but people have been displaced.
“They (Boko Haram) came around 5:30 pm (1630GMT) and started firing in the village which made us abandon our homes and flee to Maiduguri,” Maiborti resident, Abacha Kaka told AFP.
The insurgents were later repelled by troops with aerial support.
“Unfortunately, the terrorists succeeded in setting fire to the village and burning it down completely,” he added.
Boko Haram has launched attacks in a bid to capture Maiduguri, the birthplace of its founder Mohammed Yusuf without success.
Nigerian troops have continued to contain the insurgents they vowed to completely overpower.
Early in the year, scores of Boko Haram fighters launched a gun and suicide attack on Jiddari-Polo, outside the city.
The Islamist group also recently murdered about 100 soldiers who were burried recently.
The hoodlums have also attacked military bases and defenceless civilians in recent times.
