Boko Haram militants launched a deadly assault on the village of Darul Jamal in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, killing over 60 people, including five soldiers, and destroying more than 20 houses and 10 buses.
The attack occurred on Friday night, targeting residents who had recently returned to the village after years of displacement due to the militant group’s activities.
The Nigerian Air Force responded with airstrikes, neutralizing over 30 insurgents.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum visited the village on Saturday, expressing sadness over the incident and acknowledging that the Nigerian army’s numerical strength might be insufficient to contain the situation.
He announced plans to bolster security personnel in the region with a newly established force called the Forest Guards.
The attack highlights the resurgence of jihadist activity in Nigeria’s northeast, with Boko Haram and its rivals stepping up attacks.
The militant group has been waging a bloody fight to establish a caliphate in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, killing about 40,000 people and forcing more than two million to flee their homes.
Despite military operations in the area, Boko Haram continues to pose a significant threat, with residents questioning the effectiveness of the military’s response, given warnings of the attack went unheeded.
