Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Boko Haram assault on Daral-Jamal, a community along the Bama–Banki Road in the Sambisa Forest, which claimed the lives of five soldiers and 58 civilians.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate described the killings as “senseless violence” and called for renewed unity in tackling terrorism.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic killing of scores of people, including gallant soldiers, in the recent Boko Haram attack on Darajamal, Borno State. This senseless violence is a painful reminder of the heavy price our people continue to pay in the face of terror,” he wrote on X.
Atiku extended condolences to the bereaved families, the people of Borno, and Governor Babagana Zulum, commending the governor’s swift visit to the affected community. He prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls and urged stronger security collaboration to confront insurgency.
The insurgents also set fire to more than 20 houses, vehicles, food supplies, and other property belonging to resettled Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Governor Zulum, who visited Daral-Jamal on Saturday, expressed grief over the massacre and reassured residents of continued support.
The United Nations also condemned the attack. Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Fall urged Nigerian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and conveyed sympathies to the victims’ families.