Kano, Nigeria (CNN) -- Boko Haram militants attacked a town in northeast Nigeria on Monday. And battle sounds roared in Damaturu, as the Islamist fighters poured in, an eyewitness said.
"I was in bed around 4:40 a.m., when I was jolted out of sleep with huge explosions and sounds of gunfire," said resident Buka Girema.
Girema fled with his family into nearby brush land. Neighbors have fled their homes, as well, he said.
"After some phone calls, I realized Boko Haram gunmen were on the attack. They came in several trucks and vans," he said. And they set fire to a police checkpoint.
Militants pushed toward the center of town, and the sound of gunfire spread to compounds that house government workers, residents said.
Islamist terror group Boko Haram has terrorized northern Nigeria regularly since 2009, attacking police, schools, churches and civilians, and bombing government buildings.
Last week, a suicide attack on neighboring city of Maiduguri killed at least 78 people.
In April, the terrorists drew international condemnation, when they kidnapped more than 200 school girls, many of whom they later said they sold into slavery.
At least 5,000 people have died at Boko Haram's hands, according to a U.S. Congressional Research Service (http://www.theinfostride.com/forum/'http://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R43558.pdf) report, making them one of the world's deadliest terrorist organizations.
Journalist Aminu Abubakar reported from Kano, Nigeria; CNN's Ben Brumfield wrote and reported from Atlanta. CNN's Tina Burnside contributed to this report.
Source: CNN