The raids left 11 people dead in Borno State and nine more in neighboring Adamawa, local officials have confirmed
At least 20 people have been killed in coordinated attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants in two remote communities in northeastern Nigeria, local officials have reported.
The violence marks the latest in a series of brutal assaults in the ongoing security crisis that has plagued Africa’s most populous nation. Earlier this month, the US warned its citizens to avoid Nigeria, pointing to the growing danger.
Gunmen riding motorbikes raided the villages of Pubagu in Borno and Mayo-Ladde in Adamawa, opening fire on residents and overpowering local vigilantes, Mada Saidu, chairman of Askira-Uba local government area, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Mada confirmed that 11 people, including four vigilantes, were killed in Pubagu, and two others were injured. The insurgents also set fire to a church, along with several homes and properties. In Mayo-Ladde, which lies on the border between Borno and Adamawa states, nine people were killed, he added.
“Pubagu is one of the locations in our council area that had never suffered such an attack until yesterday,” Mada said after the burial of the victims on Wednesday, AP reported.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but locals attribute the violence to Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The group, along with its offshoot faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), is known for using motorbikes to carry out swift attacks on remote villages.
The oil-rich West African country has seen a surge of violence in recent months, including mass kidnappings of civilians, ambushes on military bases, and the killings of high-ranking officers.
On April 9, the two armed groups targeted the headquarters of the 29 Task Force Brigade in Benisheikh, located in Borno State, killing an army general and several soldiers.
Days later, on April 12, the 242 Battalion facility in Monguno, near the border with Chad, was attacked, leaving seven troops dead, including a commanding officer. At least 12 militants were reportedly killed in the clash. The attackers, who arrived on motorbikes, were believed to belong to Boko Haram and ISWAP. Last month, militants killed more than 60 people in Borno’s Kukawa district in an overnight raid.
Last October, the administration of US President Donald Trump placed Nigeria on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” amid allegations of “genocide” against Christians in the country. Abuja has denied claims that they are the only group being targeted, saying the violence affects Nigerians of all faiths.