Abuja: Boko Haram militants killed at least 12 people Sunday as government forces repelled multiple attacks by the group in Maiduguri city, capital of Nigeria's Borno state, hospital sources said.
Some 37 people sustained injuries in the attacks that started early Sunday, Xinhua quoted sources at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri as saying. Another state-run health facility said the casualties included civilians who were hit by stray bullets.
A doctor treating the injured said a man and two of his workers were brought in dead after the Boko Haram fighters fired a grenade which strayed into their apartment.
However, it could not be confirmed if the other casualties were government forces, Boko Haram fighters or the youth volunteer force, who joined in the gun fight to assist the military in pushing away the insurgents.
Government troops responded quickly to the attacks, said a senior military officer. He said the attack had spread to Mulle, Dalwa and Ngom areas of the northeastern state.
The attacks have caused panic in Borno state, particularly in Maiduguri and the surrounding communities. Major roads have been cordoned off by security operatives and residents were advised to stay indoors.
A military personnel said the Boko Haram fighters were pushing hard to take control of the major city but met a stiff opposition in the government troops. The government forces had done more harm to the insurgents, the military personnel added.
Last week, a similar attack on Maiduguri by the Boko Haram group forced the Nigerian defence headquarters to impose a curfew on the city.
Maiduguri is the known headquarters of Boko Haram, which has proved to be a major security threat in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.
The militant group has killed thousands of people in its five-year insurgency in Nigeria.