At least 40 individuals lost their lives in Yobe state, Nigeria between Monday and Tuesday when suspected Boko Haram militants attacked villagers and triggered a land mine. This marks the first major assault on the northeastern state in a year and a half, as stated by the police on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Monday in Gurokayeya village, Gaidam local government in Yobe State, according to Abdulkarim Dungus, the state’s police spokesperson.
Dungus revealed that gunmen indiscriminately fired at villagers, resulting in the death of at least 17 individuals. On Tuesday, a land mine detonated, further claiming the lives of at least 20 villagers who had been returning from the burial of the previous attack’s victims.
The Boko Haram extremist group has been perpetrating killings and abductions in Borno state, which is considered a hub for militancy and has been the center of a protracted 14-year insurgency in Nigeria.
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu and his cabinet authorized a $2.8 billion supplementary budget to address pressing concerns, including defense and security. Tinubu, primarily concerned with the economy, has not yet unveiled his plans to tackle the insurgency in the north or the widespread insecurity in other regions of the country.
Local residents reported that the Yobe community had enjoyed relative peace for over a year before this recent attack. The last known bomb explosion in Yobe state took place in April 2022.
An eyewitness, Lawan Ahmed, informed Reuters that militants on motorcycles randomly fired at villagers, resulting in the deaths of around 18 people on Monday. Ahmed added that on Tuesday, the same insurgents targeted those who had attended the burial, resulting in the deaths of more than 20 individuals.
Reported by Lanre Ola and Ahmed Kingimi; Written by Chijioke Ohuocha; Edited by MacDonald Dzirutwe, Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis, and David Gregorio.
