At least nine people have been killed and four others injured in a recent attack by Boko Haram militants in the northeastern Nigerian town of Malam Fatori, located in Borno State near the border with Chad. The assault on the remote community was confirmed by local officials. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, represented by the commissioner for local governments, Sugun Mai Mele, condemned the attack during a visit to the affected town. He offered condolences to the families of the victims and provided them with immediate financial assistance.

While the exact date of the attack was not immediately specified, reports indicate it happened in the days leading up to the officials’ visit on Sunday, July 6th. The assailants, suspected to be from the Boko Haram terrorist group, stormed the town, which has previously been a target of insurgent activities.

In his address to the community, Mele issued a stern warning against any collaboration with the insurgents, vowing that anyone found aiding the militants would face the full wrath of the law. He also promised interventions including the deployment of excavators to build defensive trenches and cash relief packages of ₦500,000 for bereaved households and ₦250,000 for the injured. Additionally, 3,000 further displaced families are scheduled for resettlement, bringing the total to around 5,000 households under assistance

The Lake Chad region, where Malam Fatori is situated, has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The porous borders in the area have facilitated cross-border attacks and sustained the long-running insurgency that has devastated communities in Nigeria and neighboring countries. The Nigerian military, in collaboration with a multinational joint task force, continues to conduct operations against the militant groups in the region. This latest attack exemplifies the persistent threat posed by the insurgents despite ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.