THE WEEK: 44 Killed across Lawless Northern Nigeria

Military Rescues Hostages, Foils Abductions in Zamfara State

By Ezinwanne Onwuka 

Terrorists killed at least 44 people, including a senior military intelligence officer, across Nigeria in late July into early August. The Nigerian military, for its part, took credit for “neutralizing” 102 terrorists last month. A leaked Department of State Services (DSS) memo also warned of fresh Boko Haram attacks in the Northeast.

13 Civilians, Military Officer Killed in Northcentral 

Just before sunrise Tuesday, July 28, gunmen descended on Efeyi village in Otukpo County, Benue State, opening fire around 5:00 a.m. and sending residents running for their lives.

The attack lasted about four hours, according to local accounts. The attackers killed  14 people, and injured several others, TruthNigeria’s Ekani Olikita and Mike Odeh James reported.  

Although early reports put the toll higher, and officials initially struggled to establish the exact number, the Benue State Police Command confirmed 13 deaths.

Maxwell Ogiri, chairman of Otukpo County, blamed the Fulani ethnic militia.

“It is still the same Fulani militia. There was no provocation, no conflict. They have been attacking communities sporadically in recent days. The level of casualties has increased. One incident happened just a day or two ago in another village, and today it is Efeyi. They choose locations at will,” he said.

The assault was one episode in a week that exposed the reach of Nigeria’s security crisis.

A day earlier, gunmen killed a senior military intelligence officer at his home in Abuja.

Colonel Abdulsalam Ude of the Defence Intelligence Agency had arrived at his residence in Phase 5 of the Army Housing Estate in Kurudu, on the outskirts of the capital, around 10:45 p.m. Monday, July 27, when attackers reportedly tried to abduct him.

He resisted and was killed, according to accounts of the incident. The attackers fled.

Bloodbath by Bello Turgi’s Terrorists in Sokoto: 25 Killed

Armed groups launched a series of deadly attacks across Sokoto State during the week, killing at least 23 people in separate raids on Sabon Birni and Rabah counties.

In Tsamaye village, Sabon Birni County, armed men reportedly linked to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji attacked Tuesday night, July 28, splitting into two groups. One engaged security personnel while the other entered the village.

At least seven people were reportedly killed, several injured and an unspecified number abducted. The attackers also rustled livestock before retreating into the forest.

The violence escalated late Saturday, August 1, into Sunday, August 2, in nearby Lajinge village, where terrorists killed at least 12 people, including a father and his two sons.

Residents said six of the victims were burned alive after the attackers surrounded a room where people had taken refuge. When those inside refused to come out, the gunmen allegedly poured petrol on the building, set it ablaze and shot at anyone attempting to escape.

The attacks continued in Rabah County between Friday evening, July 31, and Saturday morning, August 1, when bandits raided Gandi and Maikujera communities.

A Gandi resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers arrived after driving more than 1,500 cattle from surrounding settlements. Unable to break into a petrol station, they allegedly destroyed a fuel pump before stealing petrol and engine oil from black-market vendors.

The attackers later entered houses built by the Government of Qatar for internally displaced persons, killing two people before soldiers arrived and repelled them, the resident said.

In Maikujera, attackers reportedly operated for several hours, killing two people, injuring three others and looting cash, fuel, livestock and other valuables. One resident estimated the community’s losses at more than ₦250 million.

In neighboring Katsina State, Shariah court judge Mohammed Muktar narrowly escaped death or abduction after suspected bandits invaded a court in Gwarjo village, Matazu County, on Wednesday, July 29. 

He reportedly escaped through a window before the attackers reached the courtroom. Residents said the gunmen threatened to kill him if he returned to preside over proceedings.

In Zamfara State, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA repelled an attempted terrorist assault on a military base in Kaura Namoda at about 1:40 a.m. Sunday, August 2.

The Nigerian Army said troops detected the attackers, forced them to retreat and rescued nine abducted civilians.

Two security personnel—an Army officer and a police officer—were killed during the operation, while two soldiers were wounded and evacuated for treatment, according to the Army.

Boko Haram Kills 4 in the Northeast

In Adamawa State, Boko Haram fighters attacked Zah village in Yadul District of Hong County.

The attackers arrived on motorcycles around 6:00 p.m., fired at residents and set homes ablaze, according to local sources.

Four people were killed, including a forest guard providing security in the community. A woman was also abducted before security forces arrived and engaged the attackers, forcing them to retreat.

Zah remains at high risk due to its close location to the Sambisa Forest, which serves as a major hideout for insurgent groups, in neighboring Borno State. 

The area and surrounding communities in Hong have faced multiple repeated attacks and incursions by insurgents over recent months.

Gunmen Kidnap 2 During Church Service in Southeast

In Enugu State, armed men invaded St. Joseph Catholic Church in Inoyi, Affa, Udi County, Sunday morning, August 2.

Local residents said they were on their way to church when they saw a crowd running out of church. Those running told them that armed men invaded the church as mass was ongoing.

Three people — a catechist, a seminarian and a worshipper — were taken. But the attackers later released the catechist but escaped with the other two victims.

Military Rescues Hostages, Foils Abductions in Zamfara State

In Zamfara State, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA foiled an attempted abduction of Aminu Yusuf, rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, and his family.

The attackers stormed the rector’s residence around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, but troops intercepted them after receiving distress calls and intelligence reports. The gunmen fled after a firefight, leaving the rector, his wife and their two children unharmed.

One of the rector’s private security guards was killed and another wounded. Troops also arrested a 45-year-old suspected informant, Falalu Yusuf, who allegedly provided intelligence to the attackers about their intended victims.

In neighboring Borno State, security forces arrested a suspected Boko Haram intelligence operative, identified as Abulfatahi, during an intelligence-led operation in Monguno. 

Military sources said he confessed to working for a Boko Haram commander known as Akilu, collecting taxes for the group and identifying kidnapping targets around the town.

In Enugu State, Nigerian troops rescued kidnapped Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi and civilian Ikechukwu Onwuanra after a 10-day joint operation.

The military said the victims were found early Friday, July 31, near a forest along the Enugu–Anambra border after sustained operations by troops of Operation UDO KA on their abductors. 

The operation involved troops from Operation UDO KA, the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion, the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the 197 Special Forces Battalion.

Both men had suffered gunshot wounds after reportedly being blindfolded and abandoned by their captors.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said Friday that troops killed 102 terrorists, arrested 345 suspected terrorists and rescued 393 kidnap victims across the country in July.

Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, announced the figures during a briefing on the military’s operations, adding that 57 terrorists had also surrendered to troops across the various theatres.

Leaked DSS Memo Warns of Boko Haram Attacks

Perhaps the most troubling development came from a leaked Department of State Services memo that identified Michika County in Adamawa State and Askira-Uba County in Borno State as potential targets for coordinated attacks and mass kidnappings in the coming days.

The memo reportedly named government officials, local councilors, district heads, religious leaders and ordinary residents as possible targets. 

The planned attacks were linked to the collapse of a so-called ceasefire arrangement between the insurgents and the two state governments.

The leak prompted an internal Nigerian Army investigation into how the classified intelligence reached the public.

The PUNCH reported that senior officers at the 232 Battalion in Yola had begun investigating the circulation of the document after the DSS transmitted the intelligence to military authorities.

Ezinwanne Onwuka is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.

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