Abuja, May 15 (RHC)-- Local residents and army officials say at least nine people have been killed after Boko Haram Takfiri militants launched an attack in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno.

Civilian vigilante official, Yusuf Sani, said on Thursday that six vigilantes and three soldiers were killed after hundreds of Boko Haram extremists tried to attack the Giwa Barracks in the city of Maiduguri, located approximately 870 kilometers (540 miles) north of the capital, Abuja, on Wednesday evening.

Nigerian government forces, however, thwarted their assault following a fierce exchange of fire with the Takfiris. "The terrorists suffered serious casualties," Sani said without giving an exact number, adding that 12 vigilantes also sustained injuries by the shrapnels of detonated bombs.

"They came in through the Kayamla area at around 6:30 p.m. (1730 GMT), when residents were preparing for evening prayers, firing in all directions and hurling bombs," local resident Ibrahim Sidi said.

"Soldiers from the Giwa barracks deployed and intercepted them just on the outskirts of the city and engaged them in a fight that lasted for over 40 minutes," he added.

On Thursday, the army imposed a 24-hour curfew amid fears that Boko Haram militants would mount a fresh attack. The curfew is "to protect lives and property of innocent and law-abiding people of Maiduguri," army spokesman Colonel Tanko Gusau said in a statement.

Boko Haram says its goal is to overthrow the Nigerian government. It has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of the country since the beginning of its militancy in 2009, which has so far left about 15,000 people dead and displaced about 1.5 million others.