Dozens of members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and vigilantes have died between January 2024 and April 2025 while defending their communities against the outlawed Boko Haram group in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The terrorists killed Civilian JTF operatives through ambush and by locating their residence in the three states, reports Daily Trust.
In January 2023, the Chairman of CJTF, Babashehu Abdulganiu in an interview with newsmen, said 1,773 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed between 2012 and 2022 while fighting Boko Haram and Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the entire North East.
In Borno, the civilian JTF were killed in bomb blasts and direct encounters with the terrorists during military operations in Lake Chad and Sambisa general area.
On April 27, 2025, ten out of 40 hunters that went on a rescue mission in Kopire village were killed in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Chairman of the Hunters Association of Nigeria, North East chapter, Shawulu Yohanna, confirmed the incident to our correspondent that the hunters paid supreme price during a fierce battle with the Boko Haram terrorists.
“I can confirm to you that 10 of my people/hunters lost their lives during a gun duel with the terrorists. We responded to distress calls of attack in some communities.
“We mobilised 40 of our hunters drawn from Hawul and Biu LGAs in Borno State, and Garkida town of Adamawa State to confront the terrorists. Unfortunately, during the encounter, which lasted for some hours, my men ran out of ammunition, and the terrorists succeeded in killing 10, but we successfully recovered their dead bodies,” he said.
Yohanna said the rate at which Boko Haram terrorists are regrouping and attacking communities is very alarming and intimidating.
This came barely 12 hours after the terrorists killed over thirty people, including women and children in Kala Balge and Gambarou Ngala local government areas of Borno State.
Two killed in Gwoza LGA
Most recent attack in Borno was on April 25, 2025 when Boko Haram terrorists laid an ambush on civilian JTF and killed two of them in Bokko Ghide community, Gwoza Local Government Area.
Confirming the incident, the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta said the assailants launched the attack along Kirawa Road under Pulka District.
He also said that 10 other firewood fetchers who went into the bush in search of firewood were killed by the terrorists.
The attacks came barely 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sent the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other top military commanders to assess the security situation in Borno State.
IED killed vice chairman of JTF in Kawuri, Konduga LGA of Borno
Similarly, on January 21, 2025, Abba Godori, the Vice Chairman of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in Kawuri in Konduga LGA of Borno State was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device planted by the terrorists.
A witness quoted in the report said Godori stepped on the explosive while on patrol in the area.
Also, on January 25, 2025, four Civilian JTF members were killed alongside many soldiers in an ambush by the Boko Haram terrorists at a border between Damboa and Gujba LGAs of Borno and Yobe states.
At that time, the outgoing Director, Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, said the military lost 22 troops, some sources put the figure at 27 and others gave a higher number.
He said the gallant soldiers and civilians JTF were killed during the “Three-prong operation” aimed at dismantling the terrorists’ presence within the Timbuktu triangle.
Insurgents trail JTF members in Yobe
In Yobe State, the insurgents are now going from house to house in search of the members of the Civilians JTF and other security operatives in town like Gujba, Budi Yadi, Kasaisa and others.
In one of the attacks on March 12, 2025, the insurgents killed a 32-year-old vigilante, Modu Bulama, and set ablaze houses, shops and government property in Gujba town.
A source told our correspondent that the attackers moved from house to house searching for vigilante members and killed Bulama, while trying to escape.
Confirming the incident, Mohammed Gone, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that “Tragically, a 32-year-old vigilante lost his life, leaving behind two wives and seven children”.
On March 16, 2025, another vigilante was traced to his house in Buni Gari, the home town of Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni and was killed.
On March 2, 2025, the terrorists broke into the Buni Yadi residence of Police Inspector, Malam Jibrin, slaughtered his two sons and set their corpses and the house ablaze.
Mr Jibrin, who is the Crime Officer of Buni Yadi Police Station was lucky to have noticed the terrorists’ arrival and scaled the fence, unfortunately, they vented their anger on the innocent children.
The incident happened around 1:00am at the Shuwari Baban layi area of Buni Yadi town, Gujba LGA of Yobe State.
A vigilante, who confided in our correspondent revealed that the insurgents who carried out the attacks live less than 30 kilometres away from the Buni Yadi town.
On April 27, 2024, eight members of the Civilian JTF were also killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by terrorists associated with the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Gamborun LGA of Borno.
Three other victims reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries from the incident.
The victims were reportedly on their way to Maiduguri from Gamborun Ngala.
On April 17, about 10 passengers, including a Civilian JTF member, in a commercial vehicle were killed and 20 sustained injuries after the vehicle stepped on an improvised explosive device planted at a roadside in Borno State.
On January 17, 2024, two members of the Borno State Civilian Joint Task Force were killed and eight others injured by an improvised explosive device at Mafa town, Mafa Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses said that the incident happened while the quasi-military operatives were on their routine operations along Mafa/Konduga LG axis when they drove over the IED suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists.
A statement from the information unit of Mafa LG had earlier quoted the local government chairman, Goni Gonibe as confirming the incident.
Zulum expresses concern
Borno State governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has expressed concern over the regrouping of Boko Haram terrorists in the Tumbus areas of Lake Chad and Mandara hills in Sambisa forest.
Zulum disclosed this on Friday when he received the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, and other top military commanders in Maiduguri.
He explained that the Boko Haram terrorists are freely breeding in Tumbus water areas on the Lake Chad area without much effort by the military to dislodge them.
However, in an assessment visit to Borno on Friday, the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, and other top military commanders assured more military support to deal with the security challenges in Borno and the North East.
“This powerful team from the defence sector is here, the Chief of Defence Staff himself, the two commanders, both outgoing and incoming, and representatives of all the service chiefs.
“We are here this afternoon, Your Excellency, to engage our team here and find out what their requirements are, so as to stop the new trend of insecurity we have been seeing in Borno State and the North East.
“Ours is to find out what they need in terms of men and equipment. The president has given us the directive to make sure we provide everything required to stop this ugly tide.
“We know that Borno State has enjoyed relative peace for some time now due to your determination, and people have returned to their towns and villages to rebuild their lives,” he said.
He assured that on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the recent security challenges threatening the peace gains over the years will be nipped in the bud.
“We are here to engage you and the state on what advice and guidance you might have for the Armed Forces.
“We believe your suggestions and ideas will help us further strengthen our strategies and tactics on how to end this insecurity,” the minister added.
