Gunmen have killed at least 29 people in an attack on Guyaku, a village in the Gombi local government area of Nigeria’s north-eastern Adamawa state. The Islamic State group (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack, though it did not specify its motive.

Attack Details

Authorities and local residents say the militants raided a football pitch where people had been gathering and opened fire at random, before burning houses, places of worship, and motorcycles.

State governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri shared photos of himself arriving at the scene, describing the attack as an “affront to our humanity.”

The governor’s media office said the attack lasted several hours in Guyaku. The governor’s spokesperson wrote on Facebook that the “atmosphere in the community remains tense, with grief and fear evident.” Many families “have abandoned their homes over concerns of further attacks,” the spokesperson added.

Fintiri posted on X: “We are intensifying security operations immediately to restore peace and ensure every resident feels safe in their home again.”

Regional Context

The restive region bordering Cameroon has seen repeated attacks by local criminal gangs and affiliates of IS in recent years. The area has long been plagued by insecurity.

Earlier this month, almost 400 people were sentenced during mass trials for their links with militant Islamist groups Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In 2009, Boko Haram launched an insurgency in Nigeria’s north-east. According to aid groups, the conflict has since led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of more than two million. The jihadist conflict has spread to neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

International Scrutiny

The Nigerian government is under intense pressure to curb rising insecurity in Africa’s most-populous nation. The country’s security situation has also come under international scrutiny.

Late last year, the US launched “powerful and deadly” strikes against militants linked to IS in north-western Nigeria.

The attack once again highlights the persistent security challenges in north-eastern Nigeria and the urgency of counter-terrorism efforts in the region.

Source: BBC News