2023 Yobe State attacks

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = 2023 Yobe State attacks

| location = Gurokayeya, Yobe State, Nigeria

| date = 30–31 October 2023

| partof = the Boko Haram insurgency

| fatalities = 37

| injuries = 7

| perpetrators = Boko Haram

}}

In late October 2023, two terrorist attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram occurred in Yobe State, Nigeria a day apart, killing at least 37 people and injuring 7.

Prelude

Attacks

= First attack =

On 30 October, militants raided the Gurokayeya village on motorbikes at around 19:30 GMT and shot at villagers sporadically, killing at least 17.{{Cite web |title=Boko Haram Suspected in Attacks That Kill at Least 40 in Nigeria, Police Say |url=https://www.voanews.com/amp/boko-haram-suspected-in-attacks-that-kill-at-least-40-in-nigeria-police-say/7337624.html |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Voice of America}}{{Cite web |date=1 November 2023 |title=Africanews {{!}} Nigeria: 17 dead in jihadist attack |url=http://www.africanews.com/amp/2023/11/01/nigeria-17-dead-in-jihadist-attack/ |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Africanews |language=en}} A resident of the village and an anti-jihadist militia stated that the attack occurred when villagers refused to pay an illicit tax to the terrorists. The shooting was the first deadly attack in Yobe State in over a year.{{Cite web |date=1 November 2023 |title=IS group-linked militants kill 17 in Nigeria for failing to pay 'cattle tax' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20231101-jihadists-kill-17-people-in-raid-on-remote-village-in-northeast-nigeria |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=France 24 |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=1 November 2023 |title=Suspected Boko Haram kills at least 40 in Nigeria's Yobe state, police say |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/suspected-boko-haram-kills-least-40-nigerias-yobe-state-police-2023-11-01/ |access-date=2 November 2023}}

= Second attack =

On 31 October, a day after the shooting in Gurokayeya, at least 20 mourners were killed when their vehicle drove over a landmine.{{Cite web |last=Presse |first=AFP-Agence France |title=Landmine Blast Kills 20 In Northeast Nigeria |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/landmine-blast-kills-20-in-northeast-nigeria-2cd346e7 |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=www.barrons.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Extremists kill 37 villagers in latest attack in Nigeria's hard-hit northeast |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/extremists-kill-37-villagers-latest-attack-nigerias-hard-104558304 |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=ABC News |language=en}} The victims were returning from the burial services of the people killed in the previous attack.{{Cite web |author=HARUNA UMAR|agency=Associated Press |date=1 November 2023 |title=Extremists kill 37 villagers in latest attack in Nigeria's hard-hit northeast |url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/international/extremists-kill-37-villagers-in-latest-attack-in-nigerias-hard-hit-northeast/article_07d0d01e-e82e-55e0-b746-052e1d65d751.html |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Bowling Green Daily News |language=en}} The vehicle that was attacked carried 22 men from the neighboring Karabiri village. A member of an anti-jihadist militia stated that, “There were fears the terrorists could return and disrupt the funeral, but the people insisted on burying the dead.”

Casualties

The first attack killed at least 17 people and wounded five others, according to Gremah Bukar, a member of an anti-jihadist militia. The second attack killed 20 people and severely injured two others. Ten people died immediately while another ten died at a health center after they were rushed to it to be treated.{{Cite news |date=2 November 2023 |title=Boko Haram kills 37 in Nigeria's Yobe state - police |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67272908 |access-date=2 November 2023}} The injuries of the two survivors were so severe that the hospital they were being treated in was making arrangements to transfer them to Yobe State Specialist Hospital Damaturu.

Reactions

The Yobe State government summoned an emergency security meeting over the attacks. In it, they blamed extremists who entered the state from the neighboring Borno State and started to study reports on the infiltration in order to prevent future attacks. Security agencies also deployed men to the site of the attacks, according to a Yobe State government security aide.

A resident of the village described the attack as one of Boko Haram's most horrific in recent times, stating that, “For a burial group to be attacked shortly after the loss of their loved ones is beyond horrific.”