5 soldiers, over 50 others reportedly killed in deadly Boko Haram attack in Borno

No fewer than 60 people, among them residents, travellers and soldiers, were killed when Boko Haram insurgents attacked communities in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

Yerwa Express News reported that the assault happened around 9 p.m. on Friday when gunmen stormed Darul Jamal, a community recently resettled near Banki, unleashing hours of violence.

Witnesses and security officials said the fighters shot indiscriminately at locals and travellers passing through the area.“At least 59 civilians and five soldiers were killed. Yet, several others have gone missing,” a source confirmed.

Those who lost their lives included seven drivers and six labourers from Bama and Maiduguri, who had been working on reconstruction projects in the settlement.

Displaced people who had only just been relocated from the Government Science Secondary School IDP camp to Darul Jamal were also among the victims.

The attack left widespread destruction as more than 20 houses and 10 buses were set on fire. Families searching for missing relatives fear the casualty figure could climb higher with dozens still unaccounted for.

The killings are a major blow to resettlement efforts in Bama, an area that endured some of the worst violence during Boko Haram’s peak a decade ago. After years of displacement, residents only began returning in 2016 following military operations to reclaim the town.

Friday’s assault highlights the ongoing security threats facing both returning communities and travellers across the northeast.

As of the time of filing this report, the Borno State Police Command had not commented, and attempts to reach the command’s spokesperson, Daso Nahum Kenneth, were unsuccessful.