( CNN ) Hundreds of Islamist militants have seized a multinational military base in northeastern Nigeria , according to a government official . `` Boko Haram overwhelmed the Multinational Joint Task Force and dislodged them from their base outside Baga after hours-long fighting , '' said Maina Ma'aji Lawan , a Nigerian senator ‎from the state of Borno , where Baga is located . `` They came in huge numbers heavily armed and subdued the multinational troops consisting ( of ) soldiers from Nigeria , Niger and Chad , '' Lawan said . Villagers : Boko Haram abduct 40 boys , young men . The Multinational Joint Task Force ( MNJTF ) was formed in 1998 to combat light arms proliferation and human trafficking . More recently , it has been involved in the fight against Boko Haram . It was not immediately clear how many troops were at the base at the time of the attack , which happened Saturday . Baga resident Yusuf Maidaji fled to the Chadian village of Kangallam . He said the militants in Baga torched hundreds of homes and looted shops . He also said people were killed , but that it was difficult to know how many . `` The toll could be huge because the gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on fleeing residents , '' said Maidaji . Boko Haram has terrorized northern Nigeria regularly since 2009 , attacking police , schools , churches and civilians , and bombing government buildings . The Islamist group -- considered one of the world 's most deadly terrorist organizations -- has said its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria , which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south .
Maina Ma'aji has terrorized northern Niger regularly since 40 . The Muslim group aims to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law .