At least 61 people, including Nigerian troops, perished on Friday evening when Boko Haram fighters launched simultaneous attacks in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack, which began around 9 p.m. at Darul Jamal near Banki town, lasted until dawn, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
The terrorists targeted unsuspecting residents and travelers and killed dozens, according to local sources. Most of the victims were recently resettled Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Bama’s Government Science Secondary School IDP Camp.
“At least 56 civilians and five soldiers were killed. The toll may be higher as most of them are missing,” a local resident told.
The militants also burned over 20 houses and ten buses, leaving the survivors in a state of panic.
As of press time, the Nigerian military or the police had not issued any statement. On Saturday, however, Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum arrived in Bama to assess the situation and commiserate with victims.
Bama, which was then a Boko Haram enclave captured in 2014 and briefly declared part of their so-called caliphate, has remained a hotspot for activities in spite of serial military incursions to capture the town.
