Kano , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- A suicide bomber killed at least six people in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Monday , while Boko Haram militants attacked the town of Damaturu to the west but were driven out after a 10-hour battle . The sector commander for Maiduguri 's civilian task force told CNN a female bomber had carried out the attack on the city 's market at 11:00 a.m. At least six people had died and the toll was expected to rise , Cmdr . â€ŽAbba Aji Kalli said . More than 20 people had been taken to hospitals , many in critical condition , he said . Police gave a slightly different account , saying two female bombers had targeted the main gate of the market , killing five . A source at the Maiduguri General Hospital said 48 injured had been taken to the hospital from the scene of the attack . Last week , another suicide attack in Maiduguri , the capital of Borno state , killed at least 78 people . Meanwhile , battle sounds roared in Damaturu in neighboring Yobe state early Monday as Islamist Boko Haram 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 . They set fire to a police checkpoint , he said . Militants pushed toward the center of town , and the sound of gunfire spread to compounds that house government workers , residents said . A nurse working in the town spoke to CNN by telephone as gunshots rang out in the background . She said she was hiding in her home , and then concluded quietly , `` They have entered my house . Please pray for me , '' before hanging up the phone . 'Heinous and barbaric ' The attack on Damaturu ended in midafternoon . Yobe state spokesman Mohammed Hassan said the Boko Haram fighters were forced out of the town . `` The insurgents were not able to come in full force . They were not able to operate as they wanted . The authorities pushed them out . Many civilians also helped , '' Hassan said . Yobe Gov . Ibrahim Gaidam condemned the attack on Damaturu as `` heinous and barbaric '' and praised security forces for their efforts repelling the militants . `` His Excellency the governor has also been told that the security effort is still ongoing . Security agents will continue to track and pursue any remnants of the attackers who might still be hiding in town . `` The governor urges people in Damaturu and all across our State to continue to remain vigilant and pray to Almighty Allah for His intervention , '' state spokesman Abdullahi Bego said in a statement . Campaign of violence . Boko Haram has terrorized northern Nigeria regularly since 2009 , attacking police , schools , churches and civilians and bombing government buildings . On Friday , two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a Muslim congregation during prayers in the central mosque in northern Nigeria 's largest city , Kano , officials said . A third bomb exploded outside the mosque . Officials said more than 100 people were killed in the attack . It came two weeks after the emir of Kano , Muhammad Sanusi II , one of Nigeria 's most influential monarchs , called for self-defense , urging people to procure arms and fight Boko Haramâ€Ž , which has a significant presence in the area . The emir made the call at the same mosque where Friday 's attack occurred . In April , Boko Haram militants drew international condemnation when they kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls , 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 report , making it one of the world 's deadliest terrorist organizations . Journalists Aminu Abubakar and Hassan John reported from Nigeria ; CNN 's Ben Brumfield wrote and reported from Atlanta . CNN 's Nima Elbagir , Lillian Leposo , Kay Guerrero , Tina Burnside and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report .
State spokesman says Boko Haram fighters are forced out of town of town . Explosions before dawn scare residents out of their sleep as Boko Haram invades Daaaturu . In nearby city of Maiduguri , at least six killed in suicide bombing . Local media says female bomber targeted town 's market at 5 am .