More than 30 soldiers were killed in an attack – thought to be by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) – on an army base in Mainok, the main town of the Kaga Local Government Area, in Borno State on Sunday.

The insurgents came in multiple gun trucks and mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles.

Fighting continued for several hours before insurgents captured the base. The attackers were said to have ambushed reinforcements sent to help the army.

Police headquarters in Mainok were set alight.

The insurgents fled to a primary school when an army fighter jet arrived.

A resident told Reuters that the insurgents left Mainok, which is about 55km from Borno capital Maiduguri, around midnight.

Brigadier General Mohammed Yarima, the director of army public relations, said wounded soldiers had been taken to a military medical facility for treatment and troops were in full control of Mainok and its environs. The search for fleeing attackers was continuing.

In another attack, 11 people were killed and about 2,000 were displaced when suspected ISWAP members raided Geidam in Yobe State on Friday, with a follow-up attack on Saturday.

Although the military was able to repel the attackers, unconfirmed reports said suspected ISWAP members had returned to the town on Monday.

Geidam is the hometown of Usman Baba Alkali, the acting inspector general of police.

Residents said they were terrified. Some had locked themselves indoors, others ran into the bush.

Reports said residents were being housed in Yunusari town or had moved to neighbouring communities in the Yusafari Local Government Area.

Mohammed Goje, the executive secretary of the state’s emergency management agency, was quoted as saying that the displaced persons were camped in the Yunusari and Yusafari local government areas.

The last time Geidam was attacked was on February 9.

A source, who asked to remain anonymous, said a Nigerian air force jet had been deployed to the town, adding that people had been killed and properties worth millions had been destroyed.

A resident of Geidam told RNI reporter Sharif Bura that gun battles between the insurgents and military troops had continued for hours. Soldiers tried to stop residents from fleeing during the battle to ensure they did not get hit in the crossfire.

Yobe State governor Mai Mala Buni said on Sunday that he would visit Geidam to assess the damages caused by the insurgents.

A source said the insurgents had shut down the communication services of MTN and Airtel and that only Glo, a multinational telecommunications company, was working.