Massacre: Boko Haram Kill Over 63 Residents, Soldiers In Borno Community

About 63 residents including travellers, residents and soldiers have been killed in a brutal attack by Boko Haram terrorists in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

Reports stated that the killings occurred at around 9pm on Friday when the insurgents stormed Darul Jamal, a recently resettled community near Banki Town, unleashing violence that lasted throughout the night.

Security sources noted that the terrorists opened fire indiscriminately, targeting unsuspecting residents and travellers who were passing through the area.

“At least 59 civilians and five soldiers were killed. Yet, several others have gone missing,” local sources told reporters.

Among those confirmed dead were seven drivers and six labourers from Bama Town and Maiduguri, engaged in reconstruction efforts in the community, just as several 

displaced persons who had recently been relocated to Darul Jamal from the Government Science Secondary School IDP camp were also among the victims.

The attack left behind widespread destruction, with more than 20 houses and 10 buses set ablaze by the terrorists. Families searching for their loved ones fear the death toll may rise as dozens remain unaccounted for.

Darul Jamal’s tragedy marks a devastating setback for resettlement efforts in Bama, which had suffered the worst attack about a decade ago by same Boko Haram terrorists.

The terrorists forced residents of the area to flee in one of the largest waves of displacement in the region’s recent history.

After years of military operations, the town was reclaimed, and resettlement began in 2016, with the latest massacre underscoring the persistent insecurity that continues to threaten both returnee communities and those travelling through the troubled northeast corridor.

The state police command is yet to react to the development while calls put through to the Borno State police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Daso Nahum Kenneth could not go through as at the time of this report.

In May, SaharaReporters reported that Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, had banned the sale of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol in filling stations across the Bama Local Government Area of the state, noting that 

the directive, announced on Saturday, was part of the state government’s intensified efforts to address persistent security challenges in the state.

The governor spoke through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Dauda Iliya.