Credited from: BBC
Boko Haram militants conducted a brutal assault on the village of Darul Jamal in Borno State, Nigeria, killing at least 60 individuals, including several soldiers, reports indicate. The attack occurred on Friday night as armed fighters arrived on motorbikes, attacked homes, and set buildings ablaze. Residents, who had recently returned after years of displacement, were caught off guard during the violence, leading to many casualties and forced evacuations, according to aljazeera, bbc, indiatimes, and africanews.
Eyewitnesses reported chaos as the militants targeted men, leaving many families devastated. Babagana Ibrahim, a militia commander, confirmed that the attack's death toll stood at 55 by Saturday morning, while other sources documented as many as 70 victims. Many victims were known to have recently returned from displacement camps, raising concerns about the effectiveness of government resettlement strategies, noted reports from aljazeera and indiatimes.
The Nigerian military has increased operations in the region, claiming to have killed around 30 militants in response to this attack. However, local authorities, including Borno’s Governor Babagana Zulum, warned that the current military presence is inadequate to safely secure these resettled communities, as they are often targeted by Boko Haram factions. Zulum stated, "The numerical strength of the Nigerian army is not enough to contain the situation," reflecting a grim reality for the residents, as per bbc and africanews.
The resurgence of jihadist activity in northeastern Nigeria is alarming, with reports indicating a rise in attacks attributed to Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Between January and June 2025, there were approximately 300 attacks that led to around 500 civilian deaths. The ongoing violence raises serious questions about the efficacy of Nigeria's counterinsurgency strategies, as indicated by indiatimes and africanews.