The Nigerian military has recovered the bodies of 37 villagers who were killed in a brutal attack by Boko Haram insurgents in Mafa, a town in the Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State. These bodies have been transported to Babbangida General Hospital, where preparations are underway for a mass burial scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Yobe State’s Deputy Governor, Idi Barde Gubana, is set to lead a delegation of high-ranking government officials to attend the burial ceremony at the Emir’s palace in Babbangida, the administrative center of Tarmuwa Local Government Area.
Residents from the affected community informed Daily Trust that the death toll could be even higher, estimating that at least 87 people lost their lives during the attack. “We can confirm that at least 87 people were killed,” a source from the village stated. “Unfortunately, we could not retrieve the bodies of some victims who died in the bush, and the military was unable to locate them.”
So far, 37 corpses have been taken to Babbangida General Hospital after being evacuated by the military from the scene. The decomposed bodies of other victims will be buried at the site of the attack. Boko Haram insurgents reportedly targeted farmers, killing many, and set fire to houses and shops in the village.
The attack occurred around 4 p.m., just as the villagers were returning from their farms. Last month, Boko Haram also attacked the area, killing two people and displacing 475 households, affecting over 2,390 individuals across four communities in the Mafa ward.
A local source suggested that the recent attack could have been an act of revenge by the insurgents, who were angered by the villagers allegedly providing information to the military that led to the killing of several Boko Haram members in a previous operation. “In July, some residents provided intelligence to the military about the terrorists’ activities, leading to a successful operation against them. This might have provoked the insurgents, resulting in this recent attack,” the source explained.
The spokesperson for the Yobe State Police Command, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the attack during a phone conversation but mentioned that details were still unclear due to network issues in the affected area. “We are unable to confirm the exact number of casualties at this time, but the attack took place around 4 p.m. in Mafa,” Abdulkarim said. “The insurgents arrived on more than 50 motorcycles, set fire to houses and shops, and killed several people. They also left behind fliers with Arabic inscriptions.”
Brigadier-General Dahiru Abdulsalam (retired), the Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, also confirmed the attack. He added that military forces had been deployed to the area, and normalcy has since been restored. Mafa village is located near Shekau village, the hometown of the late Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
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