Suspected Boko Haram Attack Kills Over 100 Villagers in Northeastern Nigeria

Northeastern Nigeria’s ongoing conflict with Boko Haram militants claimed more than 100 lives in a deadly attack on a Yobe state village, residents said Wednesday. The extremists opened fire on a market, worshippers, and homes in the latest round of violence in Africa’s longest insurgency.

According to Yobe police spokesperson Dungus Abdulkarim, more than 50 militants on motorcycles stormed the Tarmuwa council area Sunday evening, firing indiscriminately before setting buildings on fire.

Authorities blamed Boko Haram, the militant group that has waged a brutal insurgency since 2009 in a bid to impose its hardline interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, in the region. The group has splintered into factions, collectively responsible for at least 35,000 deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people. The ongoing conflict has also triggered a humanitarian crisis, leaving millions in need of foreign aid.

The U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported that at least 1,500 people have died in attacks by armed groups in the region this year. However, Yobe Deputy Gov. Idi Barde Gubana put the death toll from Sunday’s attack at 34, highlighting a common discrepancy between official figures and local reports.

Community leader Zanna Umar, whose village was attacked, confirmed that 102 people were killed. He explained that many victims were either buried before authorities arrived or their bodies were taken to other locations for burial. “We are still searching for more because many are missing,” Umar said.

Sunday’s assault is one of the deadliest in Yobe state in recent years. While the state experiences fewer attacks than neighboring Borno, the epicenter of the Boko Haram conflict, this incident has shaken the community. Local media reported that Boko Haram militants claimed responsibility, saying the attack was revenge for villagers tipping off security forces, resulting in the deaths of several members of the group.

Reprisal attacks are common in the northeast, where communities often bear the brunt of military operations, said Confidence MacHarry, a security analyst with Lagos-based SBM Intelligence. “Villagers sometimes pay the price,” MacHarry noted. Some areas remain beyond the control of the Nigerian military, he added, and are vulnerable to repeated attacks.

“This is the first time our community has faced such a devastating attack,” said Buba Adamu, a local chief. “We never imagined something like this could happen here.”

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who took office last year vowing to end the Boko Haram conflict, condemned the attack in a statement promising justice for the victims. However, his message did not include any details about bolstering security in the region.

Critics argue that Tinubu’s security policies have lacked decisive action, with analysts pointing out that issues such as limited resources and manpower, inherited from previous administrations, persist.