In a fresh spate of violence, the terror group Boko Haram reportedly targeted four villages and a church near Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria.
Reports say at least 40 civilians and 6 insurgents were killed in a clash between the militants and vigilantes.
An eyewitness said Kautikari village, near Chibok, was almost deserted, with bodies of civilians and Boko Haram fighters on the streets, the BBC reports.
The attack went on for nearly four hours as Islamist rebels set homes on fire, going on a shooting rampage.
The assault is the latest in the series of attacks on villages near Chibok, the town where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram in April.
The group has so far killed hundreds of villagers in similar attacks in the region. (ANI)