Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on weekend paid a condolence visit to Darajamal, a resettled community in Bama Local Government Area, following a deadly Boko Haram attack that claimed the lives of 63 people on Friday night.
The victims include five soldiers and 58 civilians, most of whom were previously displaced by insurgent violence but had returned to Darajamal just two months ago as part of the state’s resettlement efforts.
Governor Zulum, visibly shaken by the scale of the tragedy, met with local leaders and bereaved families, offering words of comfort and solidarity. He condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a senseless act of terror.
“We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night that claimed many lives,” Zulum told journalists during the visit. “It is very sad. This community was resettled a few months ago, and residents had resumed their normal lives. Unfortunately, they experienced this horrific attack.”
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Confirming the death toll, the governor stated, “At this moment, we have confirmed that 63 people lost their lives close to 60 civilians and five soldiers.”
Zulum highlighted the ongoing security challenges in Borno, particularly the shortage of manpower among the armed forces.
He called for the immediate deployment of the newly trained Forest Guards to vulnerable communities to strengthen local security.
“We have to acknowledge that the military’s numerical strength is not enough to cover every location. Two sets of Forest Guards have already been trained. One immediate solution is to deploy them to protect our forests and communities,” he said.
The attack on Darajamal marks one of the deadliest in recent months and underscores the persistent threat of insurgency in the region despite ongoing military operations and resettlement programs.