Militants linked to the Islamic State group opened fire on a funeral gathering in northeast Nigeria, killing at least 15 people.
The attack occurred Monday in Kwaple village, near Chibok in Borno state, where mourners had gathered to honor a deceased community leader.
Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) arrived on motorcycles and began shooting indiscriminately at the crowd.
Ayuba Alamson, a local leader from nearby Chibok, said the assailants pursued fleeing villagers into the surrounding bush, compounding the toll.
“As of this morning, 15 bodies have been recovered from the village and nearby forests,” Alamson told AFP on Tuesday.
SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist communications, reported ISWAP claimed responsibility and said it had killed 20 people in the raid.
The group also claimed a separate attack targeting an alleged Nigerian army informant and shared photos of buildings set ablaze in the village.
ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016, seized the Sambisa Forest stronghold in 2021 and continues to strike surrounding communities.
Samson Bitrus, another Chibok resident, warned the death toll could rise as many villagers remain unaccounted for in the aftermath.