Boko Haram kills 61 in Borno village, seven soldiers among victims

…as NAF, troops neutralise 30 insurgents in counter-offensive

Boko Haram militants have killed more than 60 people, including seven soldiers, in a night-time assault on Dar Jamel village, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, residents confirmed on Saturday.

The attack occurred in a community where residents had only returned last month after years of displacement caused by insurgency.

Speaking to Tribune Online, Haji Modu, a resident who fled to Bama town after the assault, said 61 people were killed in the attack.

“We don’t know the whereabouts of many of our neighbours and their children,” he said. “The attackers went from house to house to kill men, but they were not killing women.”

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, who visited the community on Saturday, commiserated with the people and prayed for the repose of those who lost their lives. 

He condemned the killings and assured that both the state and the Federal Government would redouble efforts to safeguard citizens across the state.

In a related development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced that its Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, working with ground troops, neutralised more than 30 insurgents in a separate operation at Dar Jamel on Friday.

According to NAF, the operation followed reports of terrorists engaging friendly forces. An Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission and an air interdiction strike were immediately deployed to support troops already in battle.

On arrival, the aircrew identified the positions of friendly forces before detecting insurgents fleeing northwards into surrounding bushes.

In three successive strikes, the terrorists were targeted and killed. Reinforcement troops later moved in to secure the area and stabilise the situation.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information at the NAF headquarters, confirmed the operation in a statement issued on Saturday.

He said the success underscored the “seamless synergy” between air and ground forces in counter-terrorism operations.

Ejodame added that the coordinated offensive reflected the military’s determination to dismantle terrorist networks and protect vulnerable communities in the Northeast.

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