Villagers in northeastern Nigeria are fleeing their homes after armed men on motorbikes roared into their area and gunned down funeral mourners on Saturday killing at least 65 people.

Officials have attributed the attack to Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group, however there has been no immediate claim for the assault.

Villagers have formed defence groups armed with hunting guns and knives to resist Boko Haram and had repelled a militant assault two weeks earlier.