Boko Haram terrorists have killed over 81 people in a village in the northeastern state of Yobe in Nigeria on Sunday. The terrorist group attacked the village on Sunday. The attack was carried out as a retribution after the villagers refused Boko Haram’s demand to extort money, as per reports. However, Al Jazeera has reported that the villagers had earlier killed 2 of Boko Haram’s cadre, hence the terrorist group may have taken ‘revenge’ on the village.
Shops and homes were set on fire while the terrorists went on a shooting spree in the village. As reported by Al Jazeera, a local official named Bulama Jalaluddeen said that the attack claimed the lives of 81 people. “It has been established that at least 81 people were killed in the attack,” Jalaluddeen said.
However, resident Modu Mohammed, who lives in Mafa, said several more residents were missing and estimated the death toll at more than 100. He said some corpses were still in the bush.
Funeral Prayers of over 80 innocent people killed by Boko Haram terrorists yesterday in Tarmuwa LGA of Yobe state, under Tinubu's Presidency 💔 pic.twitter.com/9LfcImdoI1
— Abdul-Aziz Na'ibi Abubakar (@jrnaib2) September 3, 2024
Over 150 Boko Haram terrorists armed with various weapons had attacked the village in Mafa area, as per locals.
“Around 150 suspected Boko Haram terrorists armed with rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) attacked Mafa ward on more than 50 motorcycles,” said Dungus Abdulkarim, a police spokesman in Yobe State where the village is located.
“They killed many people and burnt many shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack,” Abdulkarim added, according to Al Jazeera.
According to Abdulkarim, the attack on Mafa ward appeared to be a revenge assault by Boko Haram, retaliating against the local vigilantes who had previously killed two of the group’s suspected fighters.
“Fifteen bodies had already been buried by their relatives by the time soldiers reached Mafa for the evacuation of the corpses. In addition to these, some unspecified number of dead victims from nearby villages who were caught up in the attack were taken and buried by their kinsmen before the arrival of the soldiers. Many people are still missing and their whereabouts unknown,” local official Jalaluddeen was quoted saying by Al Jazeera.
The Yobe province has been plagued with Boko Haram insurgency for over 15 years. The Boko Haram terorists have over the years made alliances with local criminal gangs or ‘bandits’ who loot, kidnap and kill people for money.
(With inputs from ANI)
