Violence has erupted in northern Nigeria after extremist sect Boko Haram attacked buildings.

The Nigerian army has forced militant members of the Boko Haram, or “Taliban” as they are also known, out of their base in the northern city of Maiduguri, after days of violence.

A hideout compound containing the radical Islamic sect was shelled after its members began attacking official buildings in four states – Borno, of which Maiduguri is its capital, Bauchi, Kano and Yobe.

It is thought that more than 200 people have been killed so far in the violence, as the group fight against what they believe is corruption by western ideas in the Nigerian government.

Boko Haram, which means “western education is sinful” in the Hausa language spoken across northern Nigeria, was founded in 2002 by leader Mohammed Yusuf. It wants a wider adoption of Islamic Sharia law across Africa’s most populous nation, even though the southern half of the country is Christian.

Police in Maiduguri said the security forces had killed 90 sect members on Monday alone. Eight police officers, three prison officials and two soldiers were also killed.

In neighbouring Yobe state, police said they had recovered the bodies of 33 sect members after a gun battle near the town of Potiskum on Wednesday. More than 50 people were killed in the initial fighting in Bauchi on Sunday.

Army commander Major General Saleh Maina told the Associated Press that the deputy leader of the sect was killed in the bombardment, which continued through Wednesday night, but he said Mohammed Yusuf escaped along with about 300 followers.

Boko Haram’s views are not espoused by the majority of Nigeria’s Muslim population, the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Both Muslim and Christian leaders in the country have also condemned the violence.