Suspected militants from Boko Haram killed at least 20 people on Tuesday after storming two villages in northeast Nigeria, according to a local official’s statement on Wednesday. The assailants struck Pubagu in Borno state and Mayo-Ladde in neighbouring Adamawa, targeting civilians and destroying homes and property, triggering panic among residents.
According to sources, the gunmen arrived on motorbikes and overpowered local vigilante groups before opening fire. They killed 11 people in Pubagu and 9 in Mayo-Ladde, then looted food supplies and set homes and shops ablaze during the raids, The Jerusalem Post reported, citing local authorities.
Mada Saidu, chairman of Askira-Uba district, was cited as saying that the attackers overwhelmed community defences before carrying out the killings and destruction. He added that the scale of the assault left residents vulnerable, displaced and in urgent need of assistance.
The violence reflects a broader resurgence by Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP, with militants escalating attacks on villages and military bases across the insurgency-hit region in recent months, raising fresh security concerns.
The insurgency, ongoing for 17 years, has killed thousands and displaced over 2 million people, according to aid groups, despite sustained military campaigns to curb the threat and restore stability.