Fighters believed to be Boko Haram have killed at least 55 people in an attack on a village in Northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State where people had recently returned after years of displacement.
Residents of Darul Jama, located near the border with Cameroon, said the raid occurred and fighters believed to be from Boko Haram arrived on motorbikes, shooting indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze.
A commander of a government-aligned militia, Babagana Ibrahim told journalists that 55 people were killed, including six soldiers.
The traditional head of Darul Jama, who requested anonymity, told journalists that 70 bodies had been recovered and more residents were still missing in the surrounding bush.
He said that the killers went house to house, killing men and leaving women behind and almost every household was affected where more than 20 houses and 10 buses were destroyed.
Nigeria’s Military said it has stepped up operations in Borno State in recent months to try to contain militias and fighters from Boko Haram and its splinter group, the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the area is believed to be under the control of a Boko Haram Commander named Ali Ngulde
A resident identified as Babagana Mala, who fled with soldiers to Bama town, 46km away, said that the military had been warned for three days about Boko Haram gathering near the village but no reinforcements were sent.
It is reported that many of the victims were known to be families recently relocated from the Government Secondary School displacement camp in Bama, which authorities shut down this year.
Additional Reporting from Associated Press
