Boko Haram attacked Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members in the Warabe community in Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State, North East Nigeria, on Thursday, Nov. 20, at about 10:00 am, killing eight people and leaving three others missing, according to a CJTF member in Warabe.
“All the members killed are part of the CJTF, except for one,” a local told HumAngle..
Warabe has no permanent military presence, and the CJTF serve as the community’s frontline defence as the Boko Haram crisis continues to endure almost a decade after it started. They had gone out earlier in the day to collect firewood when Boko Haram attacked them.
According to locals, the group arrived on five motorcycles, with about 20 fighters armed with machine guns, while several others advanced on foot. The hunters engaged them in a gunfight, but the militants overpowered them after their ammunition ran out.
After killing the CJTF members, they took their weapons and used the victims’ mobile phones to lure other hunters, pretending to request help. By the time reinforcements arrived, Boko Haram had already withdrawn with the stolen weapons.
Three hunters remain missing and are believed to have been taken. The nearest military base is located in Pulka, approximately 7 kilometres from Warabe, while Gwoza town is situated roughly 15 kilometres away. Residents say the absence of soldiers in Warabe leaves them exposed during such attacks.
HumAngle reported in 2024 how youths in Warabe, with only seven pump-action rifles among them, defended their community when the first attack came, showing a history of resilience despite being under-armed.
The terrain around the town plays a huge role in why attacks persist. The Mandara Mountains stretch across Gwoza and serve as a natural hideout for fighters who move in and out of Nigeria through rugged footpaths that link the area to Cameroon. These mountain corridors give Boko Haram a strategic advantage, allowing them to launch quick raids on villages and vanish before security forces arrive.
Boko Haram attacked members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Warabe, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria, killing eight people and leaving three hunters missing.
The CJTF is Warabe’s main defense due to the absence of a permanent military presence, as the Boko Haram crisis continues.
The attackers, arriving on motorcycles with machine guns, engaged CJTF members who ran out of ammunition. Boko Haram took weapons, used the victims’ phones to deceive reinforcements, and withdrew before help arrived.
The terrain’s mountainous geography facilitates such attacks, as it provides Boko Haram with a strategic advantage for quick raids and retreats. Residents remain vulnerable without nearby military protection.