Panic gripped Kirawa community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State after suspected Boko Haram fighters killed several soldiers and abducted a schoolgirl during a late-night raid on Saturday, August 9.
The attack, which lasted several hours, forced many residents to flee across the border into Cameroon for safety. Witnesses said the insurgents exchanged heavy gunfire with troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force before setting fire to houses, shops and vehicles.
Yakubu Mabba Ali Kirawa, Chairman of the Kirawa Development Association, identified the kidnapped victim as Aisha Muhammad Aja, a junior secondary school student.
“They entered the town around 9:30 p.m. and engaged soldiers in a fierce exchange of fire.
After the attack, they abducted the girl, burnt houses and vehicles, then left around 1 a.m.,” he said. “Many residents escaped to Cameroon. Some have since returned, but we are urging the federal government to deploy more troops, especially as this is a border community.”
Borno State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the incident but said details remained sketchy as many residents were still returning.
Local sources said the abducted schoolgirl remained in captivity as of press time, while several families were still displaced in border villages across Cameroon.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, were unsuccessful.