Maiduguri: Suspected Islamist militants killed dozens of people in an attack on three Nigerian villages, including one targeting worshippers at a church, a few kilometres from Chibok, the scene of an abduction of more than 200 school girls.

Residents said the gunmen riding on motorcycles opened fire on worshippers and pursued them as they tried to flee into the surrounding bush. The attackers hurled explosives into churches as services were ongoing and torched several buildings, witnesses said on Sunday.

The scene of a blast in Abuja that killed at least 21 people last week. Credit:Reuters

The targeted villages have been identified as Kwada, Ngurojina, Karagau, Kautikari, all in Borno state, the stronghold of the Islamist group which has killed thousands during a five-year extremist uprising.

"The attackers went to churches with bombs and guns," Timothy James, a Chibok resident said, explaining that the villages were within 10 kilometres of Chibok. "From what I gathered, dozens of worshippers, including men, women and children were killed," he said.