Abuja, Dec 19 (IANS): At least 22 people were killed in an attack by gunmen who entered a business place in Mubi area of Nigeria's Adamawa state.

Commanding officer of the Special Battalion in Mubi, Lt. Col. Beyidi Martins, said the special troops killed 12 gunmen Wednesday who attacked Mubi Central Market, Xinhua reported Thursday.

An eyewitness said that about 20 gunmen attacked foreign exchange shops in the market, killing 10 people, while they stole an undisclosed amount of currencies.

Martins said the soldiers caught up with the escaping criminals near Digil village in Mubi, where a shootout ensued.

This is the second time within the year that the market has experienced such attacks on its foreign exchange section.

Adamawa state, located in Nigeria's northeast region, has witnessed frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants since 2009 when the sect launched its insurgency targeting churches, security facilities, schools and villages.

More than 2,000 people, including women and children, have reportedly been killed during the sect's four-year insurgency in Africa's most populous country.