ALBAWABA- At least 25 people were killed and several homes burned in coordinated attacks on two villages in Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa State late Tuesday, residents and officials said.
Gunmen struck Kirchinga village in Madagali Local Government Area and Garaha in neighboring Hong Local Government Area, both located near the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-standing stronghold of Islamist militant groups.
Residents said 18 bodies were recovered in Kirchinga after armed assailants swept through the community, setting houses ablaze and opening fire on civilians. In Garaha, seven people were killed when attackers riding more than 50 motorcycles stormed the village and reportedly exchanged gunfire with troops stationed at a nearby military base.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri confirmed the death toll and condemned the violence, pledging stronger security measures to protect vulnerable communities.
No group has claimed responsibility, but the attacks bore the hallmarks of insurgent factions such as Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province, which have historically carried out hit-and-run raids in the region. Militants often target remote villages near forest hideouts, looting supplies, destroying property, and challenging state authority.
Nigeria’s northeast has faced a protracted insurgency since 2009, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than two million people. Although military operations have weakened militant control over territory, sporadic and deadly raids persist.
The latest violence follows recent attacks in Madagali communities that left at least 13 residents dead and forced others to flee. It also comes amid broader insecurity across northern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes have intensified in early 2026.
Security forces have faced mounting criticism over their ability to safeguard rural populations, as humanitarian agencies warn of worsening conditions for displaced families and call for renewed counter-insurgency efforts.
