Boko Haram Ambush Kills Soldiers, CJTF, and Civilians

At least two Nigerian soldiers, two commanders of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and a village head’s son were among several individuals killed in a deadly ambush by suspected Boko Haram terrorists along the Dikwa–New Marte road in the Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack, which occurred last Monday morning, reportedly targeted a military convoy conducting a road clearance operation. The delay in reporting the incident has been attributed to poor telecommunications infrastructure in the area.

Sources confirmed to our correspondent that the overall commander of the CJTF in Marte and another senior member from New Marte were killed on the spot. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were evacuated to a hospital in Maiduguri for medical attention.

“Boko Haram terrorists laid an ambush and killed two soldiers, two CJTF members, and a son of the village head of Marte, known as Mai Musenima,” the source said. “They were providing security for the road clearance operations between Dikwa and Marte. The remains of the civilians were buried in Marte according to Islamic rites. The bodies of the soldiers were handled separately.”

Efforts to get a statement from Borno Police spokesperson DSP Kenneth Daso were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

In a related incident, terrorists also launched an attack in Ashigashiya village, located in Gwoza Local Government Area, near the Mandara Mountains bordering Cameroon. Reports indicate that the insurgents captured and slaughtered several farmers, including a middle-aged woman. A disturbing video obtained by our correspondent shows one of the abductees being killed, with a Boko Haram commander speaking in the Mandara language and claiming responsibility.

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This is not the first time such gruesome attacks have occurred in the region. Vanguard previously reported similar killings of farmers in Ngoshe, another community in Gwoza.

Reacting to the latest wave of violence, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), a native of Gwoza and former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, condemned the attacks. He described the killings of local farmers, many of whom had returned to rebuild their lives in liberated communities, as “very unfortunate”.

Senator Ndume offered his condolences to the families of the victims and acknowledged the sacrifices of the military, Civilian JTF, local hunters, and vigilantes. He, however, emphasised the need for increased support and better equipment for the military to eliminate terrorist hideouts, particularly in the Mandara Mountains.

“These renewed attacks highlight the urgent need to fully arm and support our troops in flushing out all remaining terrorists,” Ndume said.

 

 

 

Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi

Image Credit: Alamy.com