The fragile calm in northern Adamawa State was shattered once again as suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched a brutal attack on Dabna village, located in the Yadul/Dugwaba District of Hong Local Government Area, from late Friday night into the early hours of Saturday.
According to eyewitness accounts, the terrorists arrived heavily armed, carrying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and high-caliber weapons. The siege, which lasted from 10pm to 3am, left behind a trail of destruction—burned homes, destroyed properties, and the hoisting of a Boko Haram flag, symbolizing their brief occupation.
The attack follows closely on the heels of a similar raid on Bangah, a suburb of Garaha, just three days earlier. That invasion, which also bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram, left seven people dead and numerous homes and vehicles destroyed.
Local sources believe Garaha, located only three kilometers from Dabna, would have faced the same fate had it not been for the swift intervention of the military, mobile police, and local vigilantes, who successfully repelled the attackers.
Dr. Raymond Chidama, a prominent son of Dabna and the State Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), decried the frequent assaults on communities in Hong LGA, describing them as “a daily affair”. He warned that most residents have fled the area, with little hope of returning, given the persistent insecurity.
“The attacks bring fear and terror into the remnants of people there,” Chidama lamented.
Hong LGA, along with Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, and Gombi, has been a consistent target of Boko Haram since the insurgency began over a decade ago. These repeated assaults are a stark reminder of the resilience of the terrorist group and the urgent need for intensified counterterrorism efforts in the region.
Boko Haram is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government, the United Nations, the United States, and other international bodies. It has been responsible for thousands of deaths, mass abductions, and the displacement of millions across Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast.
The latest attack adds to growing pressure on both the federal and state governments to enhance security presence and invest in sustainable peacekeeping strategies, particularly in border communities near the Sambisa Forest, a known hideout for insurgents.
With rural communities like Dabna continuing to bear the brunt of Boko Haram’s violence, the call for technology-driven surveillance, intelligence-led policing, and local defense initiatives has never been more urgent.
