Terror at Border: Boko Haram Attack Leaves 20 Dead in Borno–Adamawa Communities

Terror at Border: Boko Haram Attack Leaves 20 Dead in Borno–Adamawa Communities

 
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

At least 20 residents have been killed in coordinated attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on two border communities in Borno and Adamawa states, deepening fears over renewed violence in Nigeria’s Northeast.

The attacks, which occurred on Tuesday evening, targeted Pubagu community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State and Mayo-Ladde in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the Chairman of Askira/Uba LGA, Mada Saidu, said 11 people were killed in Pubagu, while nine others lost their lives across the border in Adamawa.

“Yes, there was an attack in Pubagu around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, where 11 people were killed. In Mayo-Ladde, Hong LGA of Adamawa State, nine people were also killed,” he said, putting the total death toll at 20.

The affected communities lie along the southern edge of the Sambisa Forest, separated by River Yedzaram, a corridor often exploited by insurgents moving between the two states.

Saidu explained that the attackers overran local security formations before unleashing violence on residents.

“When we got there with the military, we discovered that the initial resistance came from local vigilantes and hunters, but they were overwhelmed by the terrorists,” he added.

Eyewitnesses described a prolonged and terrifying assault, with the insurgents arriving on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze.

A survivor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recounted the ordeal: “They came in the evening and started shooting for hours. Houses and shops were burnt, and both men and women were killed. We had no protection.”

Residents said the attackers looted food supplies and other valuables, operating with little resistance after overpowering local defenders.

“The vigilantes and hunters tried, but the terrorists had superior weapons and were more in number. Eventually, they had to flee to save their lives,” another source said.

The latest killings come barely a week after a similar attack in Mussa community, also in Askira/Uba LGA, where insurgents reportedly killed four soldiers and a civilian on April 16.

The renewed violence highlights ongoing security challenges in communities bordering the Sambisa Forest, long considered a stronghold of Boko Haram and its splinter factions.