Boko Haram insurgents raided Wagga Mongoro, a rural community in Madagali Local Government Area (LGA), Adamawa State, in northeastern Nigeria, on Tuesday night, Sept. 23. They killed four residents, injured several others, and destroyed property, including a church, homes, and vehicles.
Cyrus Ezra, a resident, told HumAngle that several residents began fleeing when the terrorists invaded the community at about 11:40 p.m. “They killed David Mbicho, his son Daniel, Jude Jacob, and Omega Duda. They burnt churches, motorcycles, houses, and a car,” he said, adding that the local vigilante group tried to repel the attack but was outnumbered and outgunned.
“The group was heavily armed, and there was no official security presence, so our vigilante group had to abandon the fight,” he explained. “So far, we don’t know the total number of injured persons apart from the deceased.”
Cyrus said security operatives arrived only the following morning, Sept. 24, after fleeing residents had begun returning to assess the damage.
Residents told HumAngle that security operatives deployed to Madagali LGA are usually stationed in the town centre or in Nimankara, leaving villages like Wagga Mongoro vulnerable.
This was not the first time the community had been targeted. Barely two months ago, in July, terrorists raided the community, burning houses and forcing residents to flee to Madagali town and other neighbouring communities. They returned weeks after calm was restored. Now, after the latest assault, residents are fleeing once again.
“Right now, people have packed their bags and are leaving for Yola, the Adamawa State capital, and other places to go and stay with their loved ones. Nobody wants to stay behind to witness this kind of incident again,” Cyrus said.
According to the UN’s International Organisation for Migration, Boko Haram has displaced over 200,000 persons in Adamawa State so far, most of them from Michika and Madagali LGAs.
“We are scared,” Cyrus said. “Our greatest need right now is security. Some of us don’t want to leave our homes.”
Boko Haram conducted an attack on Wagga Mongoro in Madagali, Adamawa, Nigeria, killing four residents and injuring several others, while destroying property such as a church, homes, and vehicles. The attack took place at night, and the local vigilante group was unable to repel the heavily armed insurgents due to a lack of security presence.
This was the second attack in two months on the community, prompting residents to flee again to safer locations. With over 200,000 people displaced in Adamawa State by Boko Haram, the victims emphasize the urgent need for increased security to prevent further violence.