Boko Haram terrorists stormed Shewari and Kirchinga communities in Adamawa State on Tuesday evening, killing at least 18 residents including the village head who serves as Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s cousin.
The heavily armed attackers swept through the settlements, firing sporadically as they moved from house to house.
They torched multiple homes and unleashed hours of terror that sent terrified families fleeing into nearby bushes and adjoining towns for safety.
Residents who later returned discovered the grim toll.
Ignatius Papka Bademi, the village head of Shewari, died among the victims.
A police source confirmed at least 17 fatalities overall, while local accounts put the number at 18, with several others injured in the assault.
Furthermore, Reuters reported the raid formed part of twin attacks that same evening, with a separate strike on Garaha village in neighbouring Hong Local Government Area claiming seven more lives, including three soldiers at a nearby military base and four civilians.
Attackers in that assault arrived on more than 50 motorcycles and also burned a school.
A Kirchinga resident described the chaos to Reuters, noting the terrorists initially wore military uniforms that briefly fooled villagers into thinking they faced a routine patrol.
“They swept through the community,” the resident recalled.
In response, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the strikes as “cowardly acts of terrorism.”
He vowed through his spokesman that authorities would not allow terrorists to undermine ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability across the northeast.
Additionally, the state police commissioner visited the affected areas Wednesday to assess damage and boost security deployments.
Police spokesperson SP Suleiman Nguroje stated that extra personnel had moved into the zone to prevent further violence and reassure frightened residents.
However, locals expressed deep frustration, accusing security forces of arriving only after the bloodshed.
One resident told Said, “The terrorists were heavily armed. They stormed the communities and killed many people.
After everything, we realised that 18 people were killed.”
The assault highlights the persistent threat Boko Haram terrorists continue to pose in remote Adamawa communities, despite repeated official assurances that the insurgency has weakened.
Residents now live in heightened fear as the group maintains its deadly operations along the edges of the Sambisa Forest.
