Boko Haram insurgents on Friday night attacked Dikwa town in Borno State, killing many civilians, a military source told SaharaReporters.

Dikwa is about a 60km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital and a stone’s throw from Mafa Local Government Area, where Governor Babagana Zulum hail from.

SaharaReporters gathered that the insurgents pushed back military forces and took over the community for several hours.

Frightened villagers were said to have fled into the forests, nearby mountains and towns where they hid for hours.

The source said apart from those killed; several others were left with serious bullet injuries.

“Our men in the community were overpowered by the insurgents. Details of casualties still remain uncertain but the terrorists killed some residents,” the source said.

The attack comes a few days after ten soldiers were killed in an ambush in New Marte, Marte Local Government Area of the state.

Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, have become more ferocious in recent times.

The Nigerian army has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.

The terror group has caused over 40,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals, mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Source: SaharaReporters