Troops of the Nigerian Army on Thursday repelled Boko Haram insurgents who tried to invade Maiduguri, through Aloa Dam, a village, five kilometers from Borno capital.

Dan Hajia, a witness, told TheCable that many of the insurgents were killed.

Hajia said the attackers shot sporadically to scare residents, made use of motorcycles.

“We were fishing at Aloa Dam when we started hearing gunshots from Boko Haram insurgents. They shot sporadically in their, and approached our location, but we fled immediately we saw them,” he said.

“As we speak now, soliders are at Dalori. Many of the insurgents have been killed.”

A senior security operative, who pleaded anonymity, said since Wednesday, there had been security report about mass presence of Boko Haram fighters along Konduga, Gwambalr and Aloa axis.

He said most of the insurgents must have been killed because security personnel were prepared to take them on.

TheCable observed truckloads of soldiers moving Tashan Bama axis to Aloa general area, around 3:30pm.

The military has succeeded in reducing attacks by Boko Haram. However, the sect still carries out suicide attacks.

Earlier on Thursday, three suicide bombers were gunned down in Maiduguri.