BREAKING: Boko Haram Ambushes Joint Task Force in Borno, Kills Eight, Seizes Weapons as Security Concerns Deepen

A deadly Boko Haram ambush in Borno State has left at least eight members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) dead, three others missing, and an entire rural community in fear, further exposing the vulnerabilities of local defence groups who continue to bear the brunt of insurgent violence in Nigeria’s northeast.

 

The attack occurred on Thursday morning, November 20, in Warabe, a remote settlement in Gwoza Local Government Area. According to multiple local accounts, the incident happened around 10:00 a.m. when the CJTF volunteers—who serve as the community’s only active security force—left the village to collect firewood.

 

A CJTF member from Warabe confirmed the grim details to HumAngle, noting that the fighters were completely taken by surprise. “All the members killed are part of the CJTF, except for one,” a resident added, describing the devastation that followed.

 

A Community Without Soldiers

 

Warabe, tucked between Pulka and Gwoza town, has no permanent military presence despite its proximity to areas frequently targeted by insurgents. For more than a decade, CJTF members and traditional hunters have provided the first—and often only—line of defence for the vulnerable community.

 

The absence of stationed troops has long been a source of concern for residents. Many say that even though military bases exist in Pulka, about 7 kilometres away, and Gwoza, roughly 15 kilometres from the site of the latest attack, their community remains dangerously exposed to Boko Haram assaults.

 

“These boys (CJTF) are the ones defending us. Without them, we have nobody,” a Warabe resident said. “When Boko Haram comes, we run. The hunters stay to fight.”

 

How the Ambush Unfolded

 

Residents and security sources described the attack as swift, coordinated, and brutal. Boko Haram fighters reportedly arrived riding at least five motorcycles, with around 20 heavily armed combatants wielding machine guns. Several others advanced on foot, encircling the unsuspecting CJTF members before they could react.

 

Caught in the open and armed with limited ammunition, the CJTF volunteers engaged the attackers in a short-lived gun battle. However, they quickly ran out of bullets as the insurgents pressed forward.

 

Once the defenders were overwhelmed, the insurgents executed them at close range. The attackers then seized their weapons, including rifles and ammunition, and went further to exploit the victims’ mobile phones. Using the seized phones, Boko Haram reportedly called other CJTF members, pretending to request reinforcement in an attempt to lure more of them into a trap.

 

By the time backup arrived—after sensing foul play—the insurgents had already disappeared into the dense bushlands surrounding Warabe, taking the stolen weapons and possibly their abducted victims with them. Three CJTF hunters remain missing and are feared to have been captured alive.

 

Shockwaves Through the Region

 

The Warabe attack comes at a time when the northeast is grappling with renewed insurgent activity, despite the Nigerian military’s claims of significant progress in its counterterrorism operations.

 

Only last week, SaharaReporters detailed another shocking attack in Borno, this time involving fighters from the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). That ambush, which occurred near Damboa, resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and two CJTF members, as well as the abduction of several security personnel.

 

Among those kidnapped during last week’s offensive was Brigadier General M. Uba, the Commander of the 25 Brigade—a development that sent shockwaves through military circles.

 

Although the Nigerian Army initially denied reports of the general’s abduction, soldiers who spoke with SaharaReporters insisted that he had not returned to base days after the attack. Military sources revealed that the abducted senior officer had managed to send his live location to colleagues shortly after being taken, prompting urgent rescue efforts.

 

When troops arrived at the coordinates, however, they found no trace of him. One source noted that it was unclear whether the officer’s phone battery died or whether the device had been confiscated by the insurgents.

 

In a startling revelation, another source disclosed that even while in captivity, the Brigadier General had placed a video call to his dry cleaner, warning the individual not to speak during the call—suggesting he made the contact under duress.

 

A junior soldier who was abducted alongside the general was later released, but the fate of the senior officer and two other missing soldiers remains unknown.

 

Military Intensifies Efforts, Reorganizes Command Structure

 

Following the Damboa abduction, military authorities swiftly redeployed high-ranking commanders to coordinate rescue missions. The Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, alongside the Sector 2 Commander, reportedly arrived in Damboa within hours of the incident to oversee the search and strengthen troop morale.

 

In response to the crisis, a restructuring of command was also initiated. Brigadier General Mustapha has now been appointed to lead the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, replacing officers who were directly affected by or involved in the rescue attempts.

 

However, despite intensified deployments and widespread combing of the surrounding forests, no breakthrough has been recorded in locating the missing commander or recovering the weapons stolen from the CJTF in both recent attacks.

 

Growing Concerns Over Civilian Volunteers on the Frontlines

 

The Warabe tragedy highlights the increasingly precarious role of CJTF volunteers—local fighters who operate with little equipment, minimal support, and constant risk. While they have become instrumental in reclaiming territories and providing real-time intelligence to the military, they remain highly vulnerable to insurgent ambushes, especially in areas without permanent military installations.

 

Humanitarian actors and community leaders have repeatedly appealed for the protection of these local defenders, warning that any reduction in their strength would leave rural areas exposed to Boko Haram dominance.

 

For Warabe residents, Thursday’s attack is a painful reminder of their fragile existence in the crosshairs of a conflict that has shown no signs of ending, even as it enters its 15th year.

 

“We buried our brothers,” a local elder said. “If the military does not come here, this village will suffer more. Boko Haram knows we are not protected.”

 

As the community mourns and the search for the missing CJTF members continues, the broader security crisis in Borno appears to be entering yet another troubling phase—marked by bolder insurgent manoeuvres, targeted attacks on local defence groups, and renewed pressure on the Nigerian military.