Military recovers 37 dead bodies from scene of Boko Haram attack in Yobe

Dead bodies of 37 villagers killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Mafa, a town in Tamuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State, are prepared for mass burial.

The remains of the victims were evacuated from the affected community by the military and taken to Babbangida General Hospital, ahead of the burial ceremony scheduled for 10 am.

It is understood that Yobe State Deputy Governor, Hon Idi Barde Gubana, will lead top government officials to attend the burial at Babbangida Emir’s palace, headquarters of Tarmuwa LG.

Sources from the affected community revealed that at least 87 people were killed by the insurgents, with some bodies still unaccounted for.

“We could not show you the remains of the victims because some of them died in the bush, even the military failed to find them,” a source said.

The attack, which occurred around 4 pm when residents were returning from their farms, left many villagers, mainly farmers, dead, and houses and shops ablaze.

Boko Haram terrorists were said to have arrived on over 50 motorcycles, setting buildings on fire and killing several people. They also left behind fliers with Arabic inscriptions.

The spokesman of the Yobe State Police Command, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the attack but noted that details were still unclear due to network failure in the affected area. Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, Brigadier-General Dahiru Abdulsalam (Rtd), also confirmed the attack, stating that military personnel had been deployed in the area and normalcy had been restored.

The attack is believed to be a retaliation against the villagers for allegedly providing information to the military, which led to the killing of several insurgents last month.