The jihadist group Boko Haram has carried out a brutal attack in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, resulting in the deaths of at least 60 individuals, according to local officials. The assault occurred on Friday night in the village of Darul Jamal, which is located near a military base along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Tragically, the attack also claimed the lives of at least five soldiers.
Military response and ongoing insurgency
In response to the raid, the Nigerian Air Force reported that they successfully neutralized 30 militants through targeted airstrikes after receiving intelligence about the ongoing violence in the village. Residents had only recently returned to Darul Jamal following years of displacement due to ongoing conflicts.
The assault on Darul Jamal resulted in widespread destruction, with more than 20 houses and 10 vehicles destroyed. Among the deceased were at least 13 drivers and laborers who were engaged in reconstruction efforts in the area, as reported by various news outlets.
“It’s very sad, this community was resettled some months ago and they went about their normal business,”
said Borno Governor Babagana Zulum during his visit to the village on Saturday. He further expressed concern regarding the inadequacy of the Nigerian army’s personnel to effectively manage the security situation, highlighting the establishment of a new force known as the Forest Guards, aimed at reinforcing security measures in the troubled region.
Escalating violence and humanitarian crisis
Nigerian Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame indicated that surveillance operations detected militants fleeing northward from the village towards nearby bushes during the attack. He confirmed that in a series of precise strikes, over 30 insurgents were effectively engaged.
This incident marks a troubling resurgence of jihadist activity in northeastern Nigeria, with Boko Haram and its rival, the West African affiliate of the Islamic State group, increasing their offensive operations. The military has escalated its anti-insurgency efforts in the region this year in light of persistent targeted attacks on military formations.
In April, Governor Zulum issued a warning about Boko Haram’s resurgence, noting a series of attacks and the group’s recapture of certain territories within the state. For over 15 years, Borno has been at the epicenter of Boko Haram’s insurgency, which has forced more than two million people to flee their homes and resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 individuals.
In its peak year of 2015, Boko Haram controlled vast territories in Borno before being pushed back. The situation has become increasingly delicate following the withdrawal of troops from neighboring Niger, which had been part of a regional coalition aimed at combatting the jihadist threat.
Boko Haram first gained international attention in April 2014 when it kidnapped over 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, also located in Borno state, an act that highlighted the grave security issues facing the region.