By Ayo Kehinde
At least 25 people have been killed following coordinated attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on communities in Adamawa State, forcing residents to flee their homes amid renewed fears of escalating violence in Nigeria’s northeast.
The attacks occurred in the towns of Madagali and Hong, located near the Nigeria–Cameroon border, an area that has witnessed repeated insurgent activities since the uprising by Boko Haram began in 2009.
According to local sources, heavily armed gunmen riding motorcycles stormed a busy market in Madagali on Tuesday evening, opening fire indiscriminately on traders and residents.
A local government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers killed at least 21 people during the raid. “Gunmen we believed to be Boko Haram on many motorcycles attacked the market.
They opened fire on people and killed 21,” the official said, adding that search efforts were ongoing as some victims might have died in nearby bushes while attempting to escape.
The assailants reportedly looted shops, carting away food items and motorcycles before fleeing the area, leaving panic and destruction in their wake.
Residents said commercial activities abruptly halted as survivors sought safety, with many families abandoning their homes overnight.
In a related incident in neighbouring Hong, four additional deaths were recorded, including three soldiers and one female civilian, according to resident Ezekiel Musa.
“Boko Haram attacked us after they left the town. We saw the corpses of three soldiers and one woman was killed,” Musa said
He added that while security personnel had since been deployed to the town, fear continued to spread among residents, prompting some to relocate to safer areas.
“Now the town has security personnel but some of us have already started leaving because of fear of what happened,” he said.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the attacks, describing them as senseless acts aimed at destabilising ongoing peace efforts in the state.
“We will not let terrorists undermine our efforts to restore peace and stability,” the governor said in a statement, warning perpetrators to desist or face decisive consequences.
