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At least 17 people lost their lives in a clash on early Sunday between suspected members of the Boko Haram sect and civilian vigilantes in Nigeria's restive northeastern state of Borno. Residents in the Benisheik town in the Borno state told Xinhua news that 12 vigilantes lost their lives in the attack, while the civilian security guards fought hard to kill five of the attackers. The attack occurred barely five days after the military resisted two attacks in the Gajiram and Bulablin villages of the restive state, in which a total of 15 civilians were killed. The military in the state reported last Friday that 50 insurgents were killed by troops. Boko Haram, based in northeastern Nigeria, seeks to enshrine the Islamic sharia law into the constitution and declares war against the Western education. Reports say the Nigerian government tried in April to broker a cease-fire with the sect but failed.