At least 63 people were killed in Borno state, northeastern Nigeria when militants stormed the town of Darul Jamal, which had recently received residents returned from a displacement camp, according to Governor Babagana Zulum.
The Friday night attack targeted a town that hosts a military base near the Nigeria-Cameroon border, in an area frequently hit by militant activity. Five soldiers were among the dead.
Eyewitnesses said the attack began around 8:30 p.m. when dozens of fighters on motorbikes opened fire and set homes ablaze. “They came shouting, shooting everyone in sight,” said Malam Bukar, who fled with his wife and three children. “When we returned at dawn, bodies were everywhere”.
The assault raises concerns about Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to close displacement camps and resettle inhabitants in rural areas. “It’s very sad. This community was resettled some months ago, and they went about their normal business,” Zulum said at the scene. “As of now, we confirm that 63 have lost their lives, both civilians and army personnel.”
Although militant violence has decreased since the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency between 2013 and 2015, groups including the rival Daesh West African Province (DWAP) continue to carry out attacks in rural northeastern areas of Borno state.
Zulum added that the Nigerian army’s numbers are insufficient to contain the threat, though a newly established force called the Forest Guards is expected to bolster security.
The Air Force claimed it had killed 30 “terrorists” engaged in a gunfight with ground troops in Darul Jamal. Many victims were families recently relocated from the Government Secondary School displacement camp in Bama, which was closed earlier this year.
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