Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idriss, said people were fleeing the south, but also moving into Maiduguri from the surrounding areas, fearing fresh attacks from other directions.
"The fighting started at about 2:00am. The military also says it is deploying large numbers of troops to the north of the city as this could be a ploy or diversion by Boko Haram," Idriss saidIdriss added the attack could be an attempt by the group to "prove a point" following recent successes by multinational forces fighting Boko Haram in Chad and Cameroon. At least ten civilians were killed in Maiduguri early this morning as Boko Haram militants attack the city of Maiduguri with Rocket Propelled Grenades and heavy weapons. Several homes were damaged in the fierce fight as Nigerian troops working with civilian Joint Task Force tried to repel the militants.
Residents say that the militants arrived Maiduguri from three axis, with the largest contingent arriving from Konduga road while two other column of fighters came from Damboa and Damaturu roads respectively.
The militants began the attacks as early as 7:20 firing RPGs and other deadly weapons, Nigerian troops quickly engaged the militants firing weapons from different parts of the city to repel the attacks.
As at the time of publishing this report, a rocket fired by Boko Haram has killed ten people in a water packaging factory and a nearby church. Military sources said the battle is still ongoing with military and local vigilantes chasing militants towards Muina garage area of Maiduguri. Boko Haram fighters plan to overrun Maiduguri before the February 14 date of Nigeria’s presidential elections.
