Zulum Confirms Boko Haram Attack in Borno, 63 Killed Including Soldiers

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Saturday confirmed that 63 people were killed in a fresh Boko Haram attack on Darajamal, a community in Bama Local Government Area.

The victims included five soldiers and about 58 civilians, most of whom had only recently returned to the community after years of displacement.

Governor Zulum, who visited Darajamal to commiserate with families of the victims, described the incident as tragic and urged residents to remain resilient despite the renewed wave of insurgency.

“We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night. It is very sad. This community was resettled a few months ago, and people had returned to their normal activities. Unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night. Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience,” Zulum said.

He confirmed that the casualties included both civilians and military personnel, with the majority being civilians.

The governor also emphasized the urgent need to strengthen security in rural areas, calling for the immediate deployment of newly trained Forest Guards to complement the overstretched military.

“We have to acknowledge that the numerical strength of the military is not enough to cover everywhere. Two sets of Forest Guards have already been trained. One solution is to deploy them to vulnerable locations, where they can protect both the forests and nearby communities,” he explained.

Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who represents Borno Central in the National Assembly, also condemned the attack, describing it as “a crime against humanity.”