GOVERNOR Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has confirmed that 63 people, including five soldiers and 58 civilians, were killed in a fresh Boko Haram attack on Darajamal, a community in Bama Local Government Area.
News Point Nigeria reports that the attack, which occurred on Friday night, marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent months as the insurgency continues to ravage communities in Nigeria’s northeast.
Governor Zulum, visibly shaken, visited the community on Saturday to condole with grieving families and meet with local leaders.
“We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night that has claimed the lives of many people. It is very sad.
“This community was resettled a few months ago, and they were going about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night,” the governor told journalists.
He confirmed the death toll, saying: “At this moment we have confirmed that 63 people lost their lives, both civilians and military, although the civilian casualties are more.”
The governor highlighted the limitations of the military in covering all vulnerable areas and called for the immediate deployment of newly trained Forest Guards to complement ongoing security operations.
“We have to take note that the numerical strength of the military is not enough to cover everywhere. So far, two sets of Forest Guards have been trained.
“Therefore, one of the solutions that we need to implement immediately is to deploy the trained Forest Guards to most of the locations that are vulnerable. They will protect the forest and communities,” Zulum stated.
Darajamal residents, who had only returned to their homes two months ago after being displaced by insurgents, were left devastated by the massacre.
Many families who had just begun rebuilding their lives are now faced with another wave of grief and displacement.
Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, representing Borno Central where the community is located, also condemned the killings, describing the attack as “a crime against humanity.”
He urged the federal government and security agencies to intensify efforts to protect rural communities from insurgent raids, stressing that the continuous loss of innocent lives was unacceptable.
For residents of Darajamal, however, the priority remains survival and healing. The community now mourns 63 lives cut short in yet another reminder of the enduring threat Boko Haram poses to peace and stability in Borno State.