- Boko Haram militants have killed more than 60 people in a brutal overnight raid on Darul Jamal, a village in Nigeria’s Borno State recently resettled after years of displacement.
- The attack, which included the destruction of homes, buses, and a military base, underscores the resurgence of jihadist violence in the region and raises fresh concerns about the Nigerian military’s capacity to protect vulnerable communities.
In one of the deadliest attacks this year, Boko Haram militants stormed the village of Darul Jamal in Borno State on Friday night, killing more than 60 people, including five soldiers and over a dozen civilians working on reconstruction efforts. The village, located near the Nigeria-Cameroon border, had only recently welcomed back displaced residents after years of abandonment.
The assault began around 9 p.m., with heavily armed fighters moving house to house, shooting indiscriminately and setting buildings ablaze. More than 20 homes and 10 buses were destroyed, many belonging to laborers and drivers involved in rebuilding the community. Survivors say the militants targeted areas where returnees had gathered, including a school and motor park.
Governor Babagana Zulum visited the site on Saturday, expressing sorrow over the loss and warning that the Nigerian army’s current strength is insufficient to contain the escalating threat. He announced plans to deploy a new paramilitary unit, the Forest Guards, to reinforce security in the region.
The Nigerian Air Force responded with aerial strikes, killing over 30 militants fleeing toward nearby bushes. However, the scale and precision of the attack have reignited fears that Boko Haram is regaining strength, especially as rival factions like the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) also ramp up operations.
Borno State has been the epicenter of Boko Haram’s 15-year insurgency, which has displaced over two million people and claimed more than 40,000 lives. At its peak in 2015, the group controlled vast swathes of territory before being pushed back by military offensives. But recent withdrawals by regional allies, including Niger, have weakened the multinational response and left border communities exposed.
The massacre in Darul Jamal is a grim reminder of the fragility of resettlement efforts and the enduring threat posed by jihadist groups in Nigeria’s northeast.
