Suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded Dzaku village in two Hilux Toyota vehicles, armed with AK-47 rifles and petrol bombs. The attackers killed residents, abducted women and children, and carted away foodstuffs before fleeing. The attack occurred without confrontation due to the absence of security forces in the area
23 Jan 2017 · Dzaku village, Askira/Uba, Borno
Deaths
8
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
8
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
Residents noted that the lack of telecommunication service prevented us from being contacted that night, delaying our report until the following day.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The lack of mobile network coverage in the area delayed reporting, allowing attackers to escape without pursuit
Trajectory
Shekau's units operated as flying columns, foraging from small, unprotected villages for food and captives.
Cycle notes
Mirrored earlier village assaults combining killings and abductions by Boko Haram—such as the 13 December 2014 Gumsuri attack and the 15 June 2016 Kau-Tuva raid—reflecting a recurring tactic of raiding rural communities to execute civilians, abduct vulnerable populations, and assert control through terror; it also reinforces a sustained pattern of population capture and displacement across northeastern Nigeria, illustrating the continued use of abduction as both a strategic and logistical tool within insurgent operations.
Pattern
Village raids
Related — Armed Attack
Gunmen attacked Daron-Gyel community in Jos South LGA, Plateau State, killing the village head and one other, injuring others.
Gunmen attacked Butura Kampani community in Bokkos LGA, Plateau State, killing a woman and injuring two others.
Gunmen stormed the Gyenbwas community (also referred to as Gyenbwas Rinji) in Langai District, Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State. The assailants arrived in large numbers, shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze . At least three persons were killed — two on Monday and one additional body recovered on Tuesday, 10 June 2025 — bringing the death toll to three. The attackers looted food supplies, mattresses, cattle, and other valuables worth millions of naira. A total of 96 houses were burned down, including a Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) building . The community accused the Berom ethnic group of launching the attack, but the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) denied involvement, stating their members were also attacked by terrorists.