Bama, Borno State – Tragedy struck Darul Jamal, a community in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, as suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched a late-night assault that left more than 60 civilians and an unspecified number of soldiers dead.
According to local and security sources, the assailants stormed the village around 9:00 p.m. on Friday, unleashing gunfire and chaos on residents who had only recently returned after years of displacement.
The community had been resettled under the initiative of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, following years of desertion due to insurgency. Residents had been living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across Borno before their gradual return.
Massacre in Crowded Areas
Eyewitnesses told reporters that the insurgents carried out the killings with brutal precision, targeting densely populated areas such as a school housing returnee IDPs, the community motor park, and residential compounds.
“It was a coordinated attack. They went for crowded locations and opened fire on IDPs, labourers, drivers, and even security formations,” one resident explained.
By the end of the night, 63 corpses were counted, while many more sustained life-threatening injuries.
A grieving source from the Bama Emirate Council said:
“It’s a very sad event. I am outside my house receiving condolences. My son and brother were among those killed. We counted 63 corpses, and many others are battling injuries. Some have been evacuated to Maiduguri, while others are still receiving treatment in Bama.”
In addition to the killings, the attackers set ablaze houses, vehicles, and public property, leaving the community in ruins.
A Strategy to Block Resettlement?
Residents believe the massacre was deliberately aimed at preventing the resettlement of Darul Jamal.
“The terrorists don’t want us to rebuild our lives here. They want to keep this place deserted. That’s why they carried out this massacre,” one displaced survivor said.
As of Saturday, the death toll was still rising, as several critically injured victims succumbed to their wounds in hospital.
A Familiar Tragedy
The Darul Jamal attack adds to the long list of violent assaults carried out by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) factions in Borno, despite ongoing military operations in the Northeast.
Civil society groups have once again called for renewed strategies to protect resettled communities, warning that repeated attacks risk undermining government efforts to return IDPs to their ancestral homes.
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