Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in seven gun trucks and motorcycles stormed the base at Goniri, Yobe state on Wednesday evening, army spokesman Sagir Musa said in a statement.

The ambush "resulted in the annihilation of dozens of terrorists", while many fled with injuries, he said.

Five gun trucks, weapons and rounds of amunition were recovered from the jihadists, while their motorcycles were destroyed.

Musa did not say if the military lost soldiers in the encounter.

IS-affliated Boko Haram has launched series of attacks on military bases and government targets in the northeast, leaving scores of troops dead.

Boko Haram's decade-long insurgency has killed 27,000 people and displaced about two million in Nigeria.

The violence has spilled over into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to defeat the hardline jihadist group.