ISWAP Attack in Borno: Eight Civilian JTF Members Killed by IED

At least eight members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated, in what is suspected to be an attack by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP). The incident occurred in Gamborun Local Government Area (LGA) on Saturday, April 27.

According to reports from Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the victims died instantly after stepping on a landmine, while traveling from Gamborun Ngala to Maiduguri. Three other individuals sustained various degrees of injuries due to the explosion.

The wounded victims were immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased CJTF members were returned to their families for burial arrangements. This latest incident underscores the ongoing threat posed by ISWAP in the state.

The Nigerian Army has been actively engaged in counter-terrorism efforts. Earlier this month, on April 21, army troops destroyed a bread factory at an ISWAP hideout in Borno. Similarly, in January, military airstrikes resulted in the deaths of three ISWAP commanders and 22 other members of the group.

However, the threat of IED attacks remains high. On April 17, a commercial vehicle struck an IED on a roadside in Borno state, killing 10 passengers and injuring 20 others.