Militants of the "Islamic State" group attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria overnight, killing at least 29 people, authorities said on Monday. This was another instance of violence in Africa's most populous country, which has long been struggling with a complex security crisis, AP reports, according to UNN.
Details
According to the state governor, the attack occurred late Sunday in Guyaku, a village in the Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The "Islamic State" group claimed responsibility for the attack in a message on the Telegram messaging app.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the attack as tragic and unacceptable during a visit to the village on Monday.
Nigeria faces a multitude of security challenges, particularly in the north, where an insurgency has been ongoing for over two decades. In February, the United States sent troops to the West African country to help advise its military on combating instability.
Two main ISIS-backed militant groups operate in Nigeria, but it is not yet clear which one is behind the attack in Guyaku. ISIS is known to operate in the northeast, including Adamawa State, while another ISIS-affiliated group, known locally as "Lakurawa," often attacks villages in the more remote states of Sokoto and Kebbi in north-central Nigeria.
Addendum
The attack in Guyaku occurred on the same day that gunmen launched an attack on an orphanage in north-central Nigeria and kidnapped 23 students.
15 were later rescued, and the government stated that "intensive operations" are underway to "ensure the safe return of the remaining eight victims and the apprehension of the perpetrators."
The kidnappings of students have become a testament to the instability in Nigeria, where analysts say armed gangs view schools and students as "strategic" targets to gain attention.
The attack took place in an "isolated area" of Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, according to a statement by State Commissioner Kingsley Femi Fanwo. According to him, the facility, the Dahallukitab group of schools, was operating illegally.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in a region that has seen an increase in kidnappings for ransom.