Militant extremists murders 63 people in a town in Nigeria.
In the northeastern town of Darul Jamal, located on the Nigeria-Cameroon border, a brutal jihadist attack has claimed the lives of at least 63 people, including five soldiers. The incident, which occurred on a Friday night, has left the community in shock and raised questions about the security situation in the region.
The attack began around 8:30 pm when dozens of fighters, arriving on motorbikes, launched a coordinated assault on the town. They fired assault rifles and torched homes, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Residents who returned at dawn reported seeing bodies everywhere.
The governor of Borno state, Babagana Zulum, confirmed the tragic death toll and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He also stated that a newly established force called the Forest Guards is set to augment security personnel in the region.
The Boko Haram commander who allegedly led the attacks on Darul Jamal is Ali Ngulde, according to security sources. It is important to note that Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency since 2009, leaving around 40,000 people dead and forcing more than two million to flee their homes.
The resurgence in jihadist violence comes at a time when neighboring Niger has pulled back from a key multinational task force, and the Nigerian military has become stretched by a separate banditry crisis in the northwest. This has allowed groups like Boko Haram and its rival, ISWAP, to regain strength.
According to Good Governance Africa, the first six months of 2025 saw a resurgence in jihadist activity, with around 300 attacks killing approximately 500 civilians, mostly by ISWAP. ISWAP overran at least 17 Nigerian military bases in that period, aided by an increased use of drones, night-time attacks, and foreign fighters.
The town of Darul Jamal hosts a military base, but the area where the attack occurred is under the control of Boko Haram commander Ali Ngulde, according to a security source. This incident raises concerns about the effectiveness of the military's efforts to secure the region and protect its citizens.
The attack also raises questions about Nigeria's push to close down camps for internally displaced persons and return their inhabitants to the countryside. Hajja Fati, a mother of five, lost her brother in the attack and expressed frustration with the government's promises of safety. She is among many who fear the return to their homes could mean a return to the violence they have been trying to escape.
A biting economic situation under Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has reinforced the grievances that many armed groups feed off in rural areas, according to some analysts. This economic hardship, combined with the ongoing violence, creates a volatile situation that threatens the stability of the region.
In response to the attack, the Nigerian air force claims to have killed 30 "terrorists" in a gun fight in Darul Jamal. However, the reality on the ground remains uncertain, and the people of Darul Jamal continue to live in fear of the next attack.
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