A deadly attack in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State has left dozens dead. The assault took place on Friday night in Darul Jamma village, where displaced residents had recently returned, killing at least 55 people. According to locals, Boko Haram fighters entered the village on motorcycles, opened fire indiscriminately, and set homes ablaze. A pro-government militia commander, Babagana Ibrahim, told AFP that six soldiers were among the dead.
Meanwhile, the village chief told Reuters that by Saturday morning, 70 bodies had been found, with many more people still missing in the nearby forest. He said the fighters went house to house, killing men while sparing women. The attack destroyed more than 20 houses and 10 buses. Security sources quoted by AFP said the assault was believed to have been led by Boko Haram commander Ali Ngulde, who controls the area. Local resident Babagana Mala claimed the army had been warned about Boko Haram activity three days earlier but no reinforcements were sent. After the attack, residents, including soldiers, fled toward the town of Bama. Many of those killed had previously lived in displacement camps in Bama town, but had been resettled in the village following the government’s decision to close the camps.
Since Boko Haram launched its violent insurgency in 2009 with the aim of establishing a caliphate, nearly 40,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Boko Haram in 2016, has become increasingly active in recent years.
According to data released by Good Governance Africa, nearly 300 attacks were recorded in just the first six months of 2025, resulting in the deaths of more than 500 civilians.
Boko Haram, an extremist Islamist group, began its violent insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 with the aim of establishing a strict Islamic caliphate. Since then, it has carried out countless attacks on villages, schools, markets, and religious sites, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions. The group is notorious for massacres, kidnappings, and the use of child soldiers. Its fighters frequently target civilians, burning homes and executing men while abducting women and children. Despite military offensives, Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), remain active and continue to terrorize communities.
