Baga, Borno

In April 2013, over 185 people were killed and over 2000 homes in Baga were destroyed as a result of fighting between the Nigerian military and the Boko Haram Islamist group; it is debatable which group was actually responsible.[6]

In January 2015, Boko Haram attacked the town, seizing it and the military base used by a multinational force set up to fight them. The town was burned and the people massacred — with some estimates claiming at least 2000 deaths[7] — the largest such massacre in Boko Haram's history.[8] Some residents escaped to nearby Chad by swimming across Lake Chad,[9] though some died in the attempt.

According to the Nigerian Ministry of Defence, no more than 150 people in total had been killed, including militants.[10][11][12][13] Several government officials denied that the fatalities were as extensive as reported, with some even claiming that the massacre had never taken place or that the Nigerian military had repelled the militants from the region, a claim that was refuted by local officials, survivors, and the international media.[12][14][15]

Lake Chad as viewed from Baga

Satellite imagery taken on 2 and 7 January was released by Amnesty International showing that in Baga, which is "less than two square kilometres in size, approximately 620 structures were damaged or completely destroyed by fire." In Doron Baga (or Doro Gowon), located about 2.5 km away, fishing boats present on the 2nd were no longer visible, and "more than 3,100 structures were damaged or destroyed by fire affecting most of the 4 square kilometre town."[16]

On 27 December, Boko Haram attacked a military base in the town of Baga, killing 10 people. Most reports agree that the town is now under the control of the terrorist organisation.[17][18]