At least 12 people were killed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists along Kirawa road and Bokko Ghide community in Pulka District, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State in the past 24 hours.
The Emir of Gwoza, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, confirmed to Vanguard that two of the victims killed during the ambush along Kirawa road on Friday, April 25, 2025, were members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). The remaining 10 victims, all firewood scavengers, were ambushed and killed on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
Timta condemned the spate of killings in Gwoza and other locations, expressing shock at the renewed attacks.
He warned that if these attacks are not addressed, they could undermine the Borno State Government’s ongoing efforts to reconstruct, rehabilitate, and resettle internally displaced persons (IDPs).
These latest attacks came just a day after Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, appealed to the military to intensify operations to eliminate insurgents from their enclaves. Governor Zulum made the call during a courtesy visit by a high-level Federal Government delegation led by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, and other military chiefs at the Government House in Maiduguri.
“It is unfortunate that two of my people, who are members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, were ambushed and killed along Kirawa road on Friday, while another 10 civilians who went to a nearby bush to scavenge firewood were killed today (Saturday), with two others sustaining serious injuries,” Governor Zulum said.
“We have since buried the victims today according to their religious rites, while the injured ones were evacuated to Maiduguri for treatment. Let me use this opportunity to pray to Allah to grant Aljanatul Firdaus to the souls of the departed, and quick recovery to the injured ones.”
Timta expressed concern that despite the efforts of the government and military to manage the over-a-decade-long Boko Haram crisis, more action is needed in terms of technological warfare and the use of sophisticated equipment to effectively combat the terrorists.
“I can confirm to you that these renewed attacks would demoralize our resilient people who have started warming up for this year’s cropping season, as many would be scared from going to their farms,” Timta lamented.