At least 25 people were killed on Tuesday in coordinated attacks across Adamawa State, including 21 in a market, in what security officials have described as one of the deadliest incidents in the state this year.
Gunmen on motorcycles attacked a market in Madagali Local Government Area, killing 21 civilians, looting food supplies, and seizing transport vehicles, according to local authorities and community leaders. Hours later, an ambush in neighboring Hong LGA left three Nigerian soldiers and one civilian dead, according to a senior military officer.
The attacks highlight ongoing rural security gaps despite military deployments. Efforts at regional counterinsurgency have been strained since diplomatic tensions with neighboring Niger Republic in 2023 affected joint border operations.
The violence comes as North-east Nigeria approaches the lean season, when household food stocks diminish and malnutrition risks increase. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that insecurity during this period could reverse fragile recovery gains in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. According to OCHA, the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for the region is only 32 percent funded, leaving a $347.5 million shortfall of a $516.4 million appeal.
The World Food Programme (WFP) cautioned that these funding gaps may force reductions in food distributions, affecting 5.8 million people projected to face acute food insecurity. UNICEF also warned that inadequate funding could jeopardize life-saving nutrition programs for vulnerable children during peak malnutrition months.
Residents in affected communities are reportedly relocating to larger towns with a military presence, fearing further attacks. Aid organizations warn that renewed displacement could increase pressure on already congested settlements in Borno State.
Governor Adamu Fintiri pledged intensified security operations, saying, “terrorists will not undermine the peace of our state.” Security analysts, however, note that hit-and-run raids on markets and rural trade routes remain difficult to prevent without sustained cross-border intelligence coordination.
The attacks threaten local economies in Madagali and Hong. If commercial transporters avoid affected routes, food prices could rise sharply, compounding hardship during the lean season. With humanitarian funding at multi-year lows and insecurity resurging, the coming months will test North-east Nigeria’s ability to prevent a broader humanitarian crisis.
