Suspected Boko Haram fighters launched an attack on a village in northeastern Nigeria, leading to significant casualties. The assault, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, involved the militants setting fire to shops and homes, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Local official Bulama Jalaluddeen confirmed that at least 81 people were killed in the attack. However, resident Modu Mohammed, from Mafa, reported that the number of dead could exceed 100, noting that some bodies were still lying in the bush and several residents were missing.

According to police spokesman Dungus Abdulkarim, around 150 suspected Boko Haram members, armed with rifles and RPGs, targeted Mafa ward. They were reportedly riding more than 50 motorcycles during the attack. Abdulkarim described the assault as a possible act of revenge by Boko Haram against local vigilantes who had previously killed two of their fighters.

Efforts are ongoing to verify the exact number of casualties. Jalaluddeen added that by the time soldiers arrived, relatives had already buried fifteen bodies, and some victims from nearby villages were also buried by their families before the soldiers' arrival. Many individuals are still unaccounted for.

Yobe State, where the village is located, has been heavily impacted by a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram and other extremist groups, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over two million people. The militant groups have increasingly allied with criminal gangs known as "bandits," who also engage in killings, abductions, and arson.