Yobe, Sep 06 (V7N) — At least 100 people were killed in an attack by the extremist group Boko Haram on a village in northeastern Nigeria’s Yobe State. Many villagers remain missing, and the death toll is expected to rise.

According to an Associated Press (AP) report, the attack occurred last Sunday evening in the Tarmuwa Council area. Yobe Police Spokesman, Dungus Abdul Karim, stated that over 50 militants arrived on motorcycles, set homes and shops on fire, and began shooting indiscriminately.

After attacking a local market and burning buildings, the extremists pursued residents into the nearby bush, continuing their assault. Karim suggested that this massacre was a retaliation for the killing of two suspected Boko Haram fighters by local defense forces in Mafa village.

The full extent of the casualties remains unclear, with many still unaccounted for. Local residents fear that the number of deaths could exceed 100, as many people are still missing.

No statement has been issued by Boko Haram regarding the attack.

Boko Haram and other extremist groups have waged violence in northeastern Nigeria for over 15 years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths. The region is also afflicted by criminal gangs, known as “bandits,” who regularly raid villages, killing and kidnapping residents, and looting and burning properties.

The US-based Armed Conflict Locations and Events Data Project (ACLED) estimates that Boko Haram attacks have claimed at least 1,500 lives in the region this year alone.