Suspected Boko Haram Attack in Yobe State Leaves at Least 81 Dead
At least 81 people have been confirmed dead following an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants in Nigeria’s northeastern Yobe State. Local officials reported the attack, which took place on Sunday in Mafa ward, leaving many missing and several homes and shops destroyed.
According to Abdulkarim Dungus, spokesperson for the Yobe State police, around 150 armed militants, wielding rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, stormed the village on over 50 motorcycles at around 4 p.m. The attack is believed to be a retaliatory strike after two Boko Haram members were killed by local vigilantes.
“They killed many people and burned several shops and houses. We are still working to confirm the exact number of casualties,” Dungus said.
Bulama Jalaluddeen, a local official, reported that 81 people had already been confirmed dead, with 15 bodies buried by their families before soldiers arrived for evacuation. He also indicated that some victims from nearby villages caught in the attack had been buried by their relatives before authorities could reach the scene.
The attack is the latest in Boko Haram’s 15-year insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The group, along with other extremist factions, has terrorized the region, leaving many communities devastated. Central and northwestern Nigeria have also been impacted by criminal gangs, who, in some instances, collaborate with militant groups to raid villages and abduct residents.
