An attack by scores of Boko Haram extremists in the northeast Nigeria town of Bama has killed 60 people and caused massive destruction to public buildings.

An attack by scores of Boko Haram extremists in the northeast Nigeria town of Bama has killed 60 people and caused massive destruction to public buildings, AFP reported Thursday.

Residents said gunmen stormed the town at roughly 4:00 am local time (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday, armed with heavy weapons and tossed explosives into various buildings, forcing residents to flee into the surrounding bush.

"The toll is likely to rise," said Lawal Tanko, the police commissioner in Borno state.

"The attackers caused enormous destruction. They burnt down some of the major landmarks in the town including the local government secretariat," and the palace of the area's top cleric, Tanko added.

Boko Haram has killed thousands in the north and center of the country since 2009 in its rebellion aimed at creating a strict Islamic state in Nigeria's north.