At least 23 mourners were killed in Nigeria’s northeast Borno state after Boko Haram militants stormed a funeral on Saturday, residents said.
The attackers are reported to have arrived on motorbikes and opened fire on a group of men as they walked back from a funeral in Nganzai district near the state capital, Maiduguri.
“Our men recovered 23 dead bodies from the scene of the attack,” AFP quotes Bunu Bukar Mustapha, a local resident.
The men were returning to Badu Kuluwu from nearby Goni Abachari village, where they had attended the funeral.
Boko Haram has waged a war in Nigeria for more than a decade, killing tens of thousands and forcing millions others to flee their homes.
The war has created a humanitarian crisis in the northeast region of the country, with the militant group expanding its operations to neighbouring countries.
Crashing Boko Haram remains a key focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, a feat he has previously expressed confidence that he will achieve.
Buhari is championing for a united force to tackle terrorism in the West African region. He has urged leaders from the Lake Chad region to commit troops to the fight against Boko Haram.
While the militants have been forced into hiding, they still manage to stage attacks occasionally.
