Deadly Boko Haram Attack Claims Lives in Nigerian Village

In a devastating assault on a northeastern Nigerian village, suspected Boko Haram militants launched a violent attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people. The attackers arrived on motorcycles, opening fire on a local market and setting both shops and homes ablaze, according to a military official.

The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in the village of Mafa in Yobe State, which, along with two other states, has been severely affected by a long-running insurgency. This conflict, which has persisted for 15 years, has claimed thousands of lives and displaced over 2 million people. Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim stated that the assault was likely a retaliatory act in response to the killing of two suspected Boko Haram members by local vigilantes.

After attacking the market and setting buildings on fire, the militants pursued fleeing residents into the surrounding bush, where they continued their deadly rampage. “The terrorists killed many people, but we are still trying to determine the exact number of casualties,” Abdulkarim reported. A military official accompanying the army’s commanding officer for Yobe to Mafa revealed that the route to the village had been rigged with explosives, which the troops were able to defuse.

The official, who requested anonymity, disclosed that 37 bodies had been recovered and transported to Babangida General Hospital. The true extent of the casualties remains uncertain, with some reports suggesting that the death toll could exceed 100. Local resident Modu Mohammed reported that several villagers are still missing, with some bodies yet to be found in the bush.