Lagos, Rabi'II 8, 1439, Dec 26, 2017, SPA -- Four civilians were killed in an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants on Monday in the Nigerian city at the centre of a conflict with the militants, a resident and two officials told Reuters. Nigeria's army said on Monday evening it had repelled the assault on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the spiritual birthplace of Boko Haram. It was the first major attack on the northeast city since June. The army statement made no mention of casualties but Musa Alkali, a resident of the attacked area, Molai, told Reuters on Tuesday he saw four corpses. "Boko Haram fought their way into Molai and burnt three houses before the military fighter jet arrived," he said. "Three people were burnt in their houses, (then) I saw four dead bodies taken out of the area," said Alkali. He said the fourth person had been shot. Two other people, a local vigilante group commander and a military officer, also told Reuters on Tuesday that four civilians had died. --SPA 16:43 LOCAL TIME 13:43 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w574221