Nigerian troops pushed back an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the outskirts of Borno state capital Maiduguri in the early hours of yesterday, reporters and military sources said.

The attack occurred barely a day after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who swore to crush the Islamist militant group and move the command centre of defence to the Borno state capital. Thousands have been killed and about 1.5 million displaced during Boko Haram's six-year-old insurgency to carve out a state in Africa's biggest economy and top oil producer. The United States and Britain said on Friday they were ready to increase military cooperation with Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram.