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At least 11 people have been killed in a midnight attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists at a gold mining site in Karaga, a village near the group’s hideouts in the Alawa forest reserve in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Local and security sources confirmed that the attack occurred on February 27, targeting artisanal miners from the garrison town of Bassa and its surrounding hamlets.
Bassa, which was previously devastated by multiple Boko Haram attacks, saw residents return in mid-2024 following the deployment of soldiers. However, since October, after suffering losses in a failed assault on Bassa, the terrorists have intensified guerrilla-style attacks, including planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and raiding nearby villages lacking military presence.
During the October gunfight, five members of the Boko Haram faction led by Mallam Sadiku were killed, including an IED expert, Baba Adamu, according to ex-members who recently defected. Security sources suspect the February 27, attack was retaliation for that loss.
The terrorists struck while miners, including women and minors, were asleep. They killed all adult men on sight while sparing women and children aged 10 to 12, a local vigilante told Premium Times. Two hunters who were sleeping at the site were also killed.
Ibrahim Tanko, a resident of Bassa, confirmed that 11 people were killed and two others were hospitalised at General Hospital, Minna. Seven of the deceased were buried near the mining site, while the rest were laid to rest in Bassa town.
