At least 25 people have been killed in two separate attacks by suspected Boko Haram fighters in Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria, local sources said on Thursday.
The attacks occurred in Madagali and Hong, communities near the border with Cameroon, where Boko Haram militants have remained active since launching their insurgency in 2009.
A local government official in Madagali said the attackers stormed a market on Tuesday evening, arriving on motorcycles and opening fire on civilians.
“Gunmen we believed to be Boko Haram attacked the market and opened fire on people, killing 21,” the official said, adding that search efforts were ongoing as some victims may have fled into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds.
The assailants also looted the market, making away with food items and motorcycles.
In a separate incident in neighbouring Hong, four people, including three soldiers and a woman, were killed, according to a resident, Ezekiel Musa.
“Boko Haram attacked after leaving the town. We saw the bodies of three soldiers and one woman. Although security personnel are now present, some residents have started fleeing out of fear,” Musa said.
Adamawa State Governor, Adamu Umaru Fintiri, condemned the attacks, describing them as senseless acts of violence, although he did not provide an official casualty figure.
“We will not allow terrorists to undermine our efforts to restore peace and stability. Those responsible must desist or face the full consequences,” the governor said.
Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have waged a violent insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast for over a decade. The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced over two million people, according to the United Nations.
The violence has also spread into neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting the creation of a regional military coalition, although its effectiveness has declined in recent years.
Nigeria continues to face widespread insecurity despite ongoing military operations. Earlier this month, the United States announced the deployment of about 200 troops to Nigeria to provide technical assistance and training support to help combat jihadist groups.
