At least 60 people were killed late Friday when Boko Haram militants stormed Nigeria's Darul Jamal, a village in Borno State’s Bama local government area where families had only recently returned after years of displacement, authorities said. The death toll and details of the nighttime assault were first reported by the Associated Press.
As reported by Deborah Castellano Lubov for Vatican News, Darul Jamal is among several communities where the government has been resettling internally displaced persons following military operations aimed at securing the region. The village’s most recent resettlement took place in July.
Local officials said more than a dozen homes were burned and over 100 residents fled into the night. Modu Gujja, chairman of the Bama local government, confirmed the damage and displacement after the attack.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum visited the area, offered condolences to grieving families, and pledged immediate support, including food and lifesaving supplies. He also said additional security deployments are being arranged to protect those who remain and to discourage further flight from newly resettled towns.
Not safe to come home?
The massacre underscores the fragility of returns across northeast Nigeria, where authorities have encouraged families to leave camps and rebuild homes. Analysts note that while the military has made gains, both Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province retain the capacity to strike rural communities with little warning. Reuters separately reported residents’ accounts that militants moved “house to house” during the assault, overwhelming local defenses.
Further context from AP highlights the enduring toll of a conflict that began in 2009 and has killed tens of thousands while displacing more than 2 million people across the Lake Chad region. Despite periodic lulls, renewed attacks this year have targeted both civilians and security forces, complicating efforts to stabilize Borno and neighboring states.
Vatican News also noted that Bama suffered multiple Boko Haram raids a decade ago, which triggered mass flight to camps — making last weekend’s attack particularly devastating for families who had just tried to start over. Her report details official assurances that food aid, medical assistance, and reinforced patrols are being mobilized in response.
While authorities weigh next steps, humanitarian groups warn that the cycle of return and renewed violence heightens trauma and deepens need. For residents of Darul Jamal, immediate priorities are burying the dead, caring for the injured, and finding safe shelter as the state ramps up protection measures promised in the wake of the raid.
