Gunmen have killed at least 29 people in northeastern Nigeria, a state governor said on Monday, with residents reporting that the attackers targeted young people gathered at a football pitch in the latest wave of deadly unrest in Africa’s most populous nation.
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The attack occurred on Sunday in Adamawa State, which borders Cameroon and remains a hotspot for violence involving jihadist groups and criminal gangs. Communal clashes over land disputes are also widespread in the area.
The incident comes as Nigeria’s worsening security crisis faces increasing scrutiny both domestically and internationally, with general elections less than a year away.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri visited the scene and confirmed that “no fewer than 29 people were killed in a deadly attack on the Guyaku community in Gombi Local Government Area,” according to a statement by his spokesman on social media.
A resident, Philip Agabus, told AFP that the attack occurred when “our people converged at a football pitch in Guyaku community… [and] were attacked by insurgents who entered with guns and began shooting randomly.”
Another resident, Joshua Usman, said the victims were “youths, including some ladies who were watching football.” He added that the attackers also burned places of worship, houses, and motorcycles.
The governor’s office further stated that “the attackers operated for several hours, killing dozens of residents, burning places of worship, and destroying property, including motorcycles,” citing a local community leader, Aggrey Ali.
Local television footage showed a burned church and several charred motorcycles.
Governor Fintiri blamed the attack on Boko Haram militants, who have long been active in northeastern Nigeria. However, a rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, claimed responsibility, stating that it “killed at least 25 Christians” and torched a church and nearly 100 motorcycles, according to the SITE monitoring group.
Condemning the violence, Fintiri vowed that the attack “will not go unpunished” and promised intensified security operations to restore peace.
Since 2009, the insurgency led by Boko Haram and ISWAP has left tens of thousands dead and displaced millions across northeastern Nigeria, according to the United Nations. The conflict has also spread to neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
Nigeria is now seeking technical and training support from the United States to strengthen its military response following a resurgence of violence that has strained relations between the two countries.
In a separate incident on the same day, another attack occurred more than 100 kilometers away in Lamurde Local Government Area. Local authorities attributed the violence to communal clashes over farmland disputes in several villages.
“Lives were lost, and properties were destroyed,” said Bulus Daniel, chairman of the Lamurde Local Government Council.
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