Boko Haram K!lls Over 60 in Deadly Attack on Nigerian Village

Darul Jamal, Borno State, Nigeria – The jihadist group Boko Haram has killed more than 60 people in a brutal overnight assault on the village of Darul Jamal, located near the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The attack, which occurred late Friday night, also claimed the lives of at least five Nigerian soldiers stationed at a local military base.

The militants targeted the village shortly after residents had returned following years of displacement caused by the ongoing insurgency. More than 20 houses and 10 buses were destroyed, and 13 drivers and laborers working on reconstruction efforts were among those killed, according to Reuters.

In response, the Nigerian Air Force launched immediate airstrikes, reportedly killing over 30 fleeing militants. “Surveillance revealed militants fleeing northwards… they were decisively engaged in a series of precise and successive strikes,” said Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who visited the devastated village on Saturday, expressed deep sorrow. “It’s very sad. This community was resettled some months ago and had returned to normal life,” he told AFP. Zulum reiterated concerns about the limited manpower of the Nigerian army, stressing the need for additional forces like the newly formed Forest Guards to help secure the region.

This attack underscores a resurgence in jihadist activity in Nigeria’s northeast, where both Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified their operations.

Borno State has been at the heart of Boko Haram’s 15-year insurgency, which has killed over 40,000 people and displaced more than two million. Despite military offensives that pushed the group back from its peak in 2015, recent developments — including Niger’s withdrawal from a regional military coalition — have further complicated efforts to defeat the militants.

Boko Haram gained international infamy in 2014, when it abducted over 270 schoolgirls from Chibok, sparking global outrage.

As security operations intensify, the attack on Darul Jamal serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat the region faces — and the urgent need for coordinated regional action.