At least 25 people were killed in a series of coordinated and deadly attacks across Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Tuesday, marking one of the most severe incidents in the region this year. The violence unfolded in Madagali and Hong Local Government Areas, revealing persistent rural security gaps amidst ongoing military deployments.

In the Madagali Local Government Area, gunmen, described as riding motorcycles, stormed a market, resulting in the deaths of 21 civilians. Witnesses reported that the attackers opened fire indiscriminately before proceeding to loot food supplies and seize transport vehicles. Hours later, in the neighboring Hong LGA, an ambush led to the deaths of three Nigerian soldiers and one civilian, according to a senior military officer.

Further reports detailed twin raids on the villages of Kirchinga in Madagali district and Garaha in Hong, both situated on the edge of the Sambisa Forest, known strongholds for Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The attacks occurred on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. In Kirchinga, the village head, Abubakar Lawan Kanuri, reported that gunmen, initially mistaken for soldiers due to their uniforms, swept through the community, leaving 18 bodies in their wake. In Garaha, seven people were killed when attackers on more than 50 motorcycles assaulted the village and a nearby military base, where three soldiers died. A school was also burned during the assault, prompting many villagers to flee towards Mubi, a larger town.

These attacks coincide with North-east Nigeria's approach to the annual lean season, a period characterized by dwindling household food stocks and a heightened risk of malnutrition. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that such insecurity could reverse fragile recovery gains across the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe). Humanitarian funding remains critically low, with the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for northeast Nigeria only 32 percent funded, facing a $347.5 million shortfall against a $516.4 million appeal. Both the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF have cautioned that these funding gaps threaten vital food distributions and life-saving nutrition interventions, particularly as 5.8 million people in the region are projected to face acute food insecurity.

The escalating violence has already triggered displacement, with residents moving to larger towns with a military presence, fearing further raids. Aid organizations are concerned that renewed displacement will strain already congested settlements in Borno State, where humanitarian infrastructure is severely stretched. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State condemned the attacks as “cowardly acts of terrorism” and pledged intensified security operations, vowing not to let