Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, killing one person and setting part of a secondary school ablaze, local authorities and security officials said on Sunday.
Attack Details
The attack occurred on Saturday evening in Kautikari village, a community within Chibok that gained international attention following the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in 2014. According to the Education Secretary of Chibok Local Government Area, Malah Kyari, the assailants targeted the junior secondary section of Government Day Secondary School in the village.
“I can confirm that the insurgents attacked the Kautikari community yesterday, killed one person, and set ablaze one block containing five classrooms and an office at Kautikari JSS,” Kyari said.
Security Response
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, also confirmed the incident, saying security personnel repelled the attack and prevented further destruction. “They attacked Kautikari village, where they burnt two classrooms at Government Day Secondary School and killed one person, a man,” Daso said. “The suspected insurgents faced strong resistance from joint security forces, averting further losses. As of now, the area is calm and intensive patrols are ongoing.”
Conflicting Reports
Authorities gave differing accounts of the extent of damage to the school, with education officials reporting that a block comprising five classrooms and an office was destroyed, while police said two classrooms were affected. The Zonal Inspector for Local Government and Emirate Affairs overseeing Bama, Chibok, Gwoza, Askira/Uba and Damboa, Samaila Manza, said details of the attack were still being verified. “I was informed that terrorists attacked the village, but we have not verified the actual extent of the damage they caused,” he said.
Residents Flee
Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers on motorcycles and appeared intent on destroying the school and its facilities. A local source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said many residents fled the community during the assault. “They entered Kautikari on motorcycles and targeted the school. It was during their entry into the community that a man was killed,” the source said.
