According to Deutsche Welle, many of the victims had only recently returned to the town after years of displacement. The attackers set homes ablaze and went house to house, killing men while leaving women behind. The traditional head of Darul Jama, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that 70 bodies had been recovered by Saturday morning, with more residents still missing.

Malam Bukar, a resident who fled with his family, recounted the chaos: “They came shouting, shooting everyone in sight.” He told AFP that upon returning at dawn, bodies were scattered everywhere. This attack raises concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations, as Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency to establish an Islamic caliphate in the region since 2009.

The violence has claimed approximately 40,000 lives and displaced over two million people. A splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has also launched attacks in the area since its formation in 2016. Good Governance Africa, a nonprofit organization, tallied some 300 attacks killing about 500 civilians in the first half of 2025, indicating a resurgence in jihadist activity.

Nigeria’s military has reportedly increased counterinsurgency efforts in recent months, but the latest attack highlights ongoing security challenges. It also complicates efforts to close camps for internally displaced people and return them to their villages.

In a separate incident in Edo State, southern Nigeria, gunmen killed eight security officials and kidnapped Chinese workers on Friday. The attack targeted a convoy of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Chinese nationals employed by BUA Cement. NSCDC spokesperson Afolabi Babawale told Reuters that four Chinese workers were rescued, while one remains missing. Eight NSCDC operatives were killed, and four were seriously injured.