Boko Haram kills over 60 in deadly Borno State attack

The jihadist group Boko Haram has killed more than 60 people in a brutal overnight attack on Darul Jamal, a village in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno State near the Cameroon border, local officials have confirmed.

The assault, which took place on Friday night, also claimed the lives of at least five soldiers stationed at a nearby military base. Residents, many of whom had only recently returned after years of displacement, were forced to flee again as militants burned more than 20 houses and destroyed 10 buses. At least 13 drivers and labourers working on reconstruction projects were among the dead, according to Reuters.

In response, the Nigerian Air Force launched targeted airstrikes after receiving reports of the raid. Spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said surveillance revealed militants fleeing northwards into nearby bushes. “In a series of three precise and successive strikes, the fleeing terrorists were decisively engaged, resulting in the neutralisation of over 30 insurgents,” he confirmed.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who visited the scene on Saturday, expressed grief over the attack. “It’s very sad. This community was resettled some months ago and they went about their normal business. The numerical strength of the Nigerian army is not enough to contain the situation,” he told AFP, adding that a newly established “Forest Guards” unit would soon reinforce security.

The attack underscores a resurgence of jihadist activity in Nigeria’s northeast, where Boko Haram and its rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified operations. Borno, the epicenter of a 15-year insurgency, has witnessed more than 40,000 deaths and the displacement of over two million people.