The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for a devastating attack in Mafa village, Tarmuwa Local Government Area, Yobe State, which left 34 villagers dead.
The militant group cited “revenge for alleged grievances” as the motive for the massacre.
On Monday morning, the attackers targeted the community, reportedly killing scores of residents.
Initial reports indicate that 86 bodies have been recovered and taken to hospitals, with a search for additional victims still ongoing.
A letter written in Arabic and attributed to ISWAP was released by the attackers, detailing their justification for the assault.
According to the letter, the village was punished for allegedly providing intelligence to the military, which purportedly led to the deaths of ISWAP members.
The letter read: “This is a message from the soldiers of the Caliphate in the West Africa Province to the leaders, mukhtars, and all residents and farmers in Mafa and the surrounding villages. You have chosen to remain in safety within your countries.
The soldiers of the Caliphate will not harm you or threaten your possessions, nor will we interfere with your activities, whether agricultural or commercial, unless you continue to act in a way that threatens our brothers.”
It further stated that the attack was a response to the village’s alleged cooperation with the military, which ISWAP claims resulted in the deaths of their members. The letter described the assault as a warning and criticized the village for not heeding previous threats.
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