Boko Haram men dressed as soldiers have recently attacked northern Nigeria three times and reportedly slayed nearly 200 villagers, SKY News has learned.

Boko Haram militants have been nothing but brutal recently when they reportedly killed up to 200 villagers in three recent attacks in northern Nigeria, specifically in Danjara, Agapalwa and Antagara.

A community leader who witnessed the Boko Haram killings in the said areas confirmed the news, adding that the Gwoza local government district in Borno state have asked for protection from the army, but to no avail.

According to local reports, Boko Haram militants dressed as soldiers arrived in pickup trucks commonly used by the military. They even claimed to civilians that they were soldiers "and we are here to protect you all."

After reassuring everyone that they meant no harm, people flocked in the heart of the villages as ordered. Once everyone had settled in, Boko Haram militants then began to shout "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar" and started to fire at the gathered crowd for a long time until everyone appeared to be dead, an unnamed witness told reporters.

Due to poor road conditions and the lack of telecommunications in the area, it took time for witnesses to relay the word on the Boko Haram killings to the provincial capital, Maiduguri.

Once the inhuman slayings have been relayed, local politician Mohammed Ali Ndume confirmed the attacks had indeed taken place.

Meanwhile, local minister Peter Biye told BBC News that the exact number of victims cannot be confirmed since the surviving witnesses have fled their villages and nobody is risking his life to count the bodies following the brutal attacks.

Last week, the emir of Gwoza, a religious and traditional ruler of the regional political centre, was killed in an ambush orchestrated by Boko Haram on his convoy.

Prior to his death, the emir reportedly voiced out against the cruelty and inhumanity of the Boko Haram militants.

Boko Haram militants comprised men who want to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria; hence, they have been fighting back against a year-long government-backed military offensive enlisted to eliminate them.

As of late, Boko Haram has taken over villages in the northeast, slaying and terrorising civilians and political leaders alike. The militants are also currently holding hundreds of schoolgirls captive after kidnapping them from school in the remote village of Chibok in April.

Authorities said Boko Haram has killed over 2,000 Nigerians this year, with nearly 75,000 civilians driven from their homes.