No fewer than 63 people, including 58 civilians and five soldiers, have been killed following a deadly Boko Haram assault on Darajamal community in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack, which occurred around 9 p.m. on Friday, saw insurgents storm Darajamal — a community recently resettled near Banki Town — and unleash violence that lasted through the night.
Eyewitnesses said the terrorists opened fire indiscriminately on residents and travellers. “At least 59 civilians and five soldiers were killed. Several others have gone missing,” a local source told reporters.
Among those killed were seven drivers and six labourers from Bama and Maiduguri, who had been involved in reconstruction work in the community.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, who visited the scene on Saturday, described the incident as “very sad” and commiserated with families of the victims.
“We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night that has claimed the lives of many people. It is very sad,” Zulum told journalists. He confirmed the death toll, noting that the majority of casualties were civilians.
The governor stressed that the military alone cannot secure all vulnerable areas across the state. He called for the urgent deployment of newly trained Forest Guards to help protect rural communities.
“We must understand that the number of military personnel is not sufficient to provide security in all areas. So far, two sets of Forest Guards have been trained. One of the immediate solutions is to deploy them to vulnerable locations to protect both the forests and our communities,” he said.
