By Lawrence Zongo
4 Septemner 2024
At least 81 people were killed while several others are still missing after suspected Boko Haram militants attacked Mafa ward in northeastern Yobe State, Nigeria, according to local officials. The attack, which occurred on Sunday around 4:00 pm, involved approximately 150 militants armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades and travelling on more than 50 motorcycles.
Yobe State Police spokesperson, Abdulkarim Dungus, confirmed the incident, saying, “They killed many people and burned numerous shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack.” Dungus suggested that the attack might have been in retaliation for the killing of two Boko Haram militants by local vigilantes.
Bulama Jalaluddeen, a local official, reported that at least 81 people had lost their lives. “By the time soldiers arrived for evacuation, 15 bodies had already been buried by their families,” he said. “Some victims in nearby villages killed in the attack were buried by their kinsmen before the soldiers arrived. Many people are still missing, and their whereabouts remain unknown.”
Boko Haram and other extremist groups have waged a brutal 15-year insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, resulting in over 40,000 deaths. These groups often collaborate with criminal gangs locally called “bandits,” have extended their influence across central Nigeria, further destabilizing the region.
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