8 CJTF members killed as Boko Haram springs another deadly ambush in Borno

Boko Haram terrorists on Thursday attacked members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the Warabe area of Gwoza Local Government, killing eight local defenders and leaving three others unaccounted for in Borno State.

The strike happened around 10:00 a.m. on November 20, when the CJTF team, who serve as the community’s primary security support , left the village to gather firewood.

According to HumAngle, a CJTF member from Warabe confirmed the casualties, explaining that the group was taken by surprise during the assault. A resident added, “All the members killed are part of the CJTF, except for one.”

Warabe, a small settlement positioned between Pulka and Gwoza, has no stationed military personnel. For years, villagers have relied on the CJTF and local hunters for protection as the Boko Haram conflict persists beyond a decade.

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Residents recounted that the insurgents arrived on at least five motorcycles carrying no fewer than 20 armed men, while others approached on foot. The CJTF reportedly returned fire but eventually ran out of ammunition.

Once the defenders were overwhelmed, the attackers killed them, seized their weapons, and used the victims’ phones to lure additional hunters by pretending to call for backup.

By the time reinforcements reached the scene, the insurgents had disappeared into the surrounding forest with the stolen arms. Three CJTF hunters remain missing and are feared abducted.

The nearest military post is in Pulka, roughly seven kilometres from Warabe, while Gwoza town is about 15 kilometres away. Locals say the absence of troops in the village leaves them vulnerable whenever militants strike.

This incident comes days after a separate ambush in which Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters killed two soldiers and two CJTF members, abducting Brigadier General M. Uba and two other soldiers during an attack near Damboa.