Over the weekend, there were several violent attacks in northern Nigeria that resulted in the terrible deaths of at least 23 members of the civilian joint task force of Nigeria. According to force officers who spoke on Sunday, the incidents, which happened on Saturday, involved separate attacks by terrorists and an armed abduction group.
An improvised explosive device (IED) struck a vehicle carrying members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the northeastern state of Borno, the hub of an Islamist rebellion. Nine members of the CJTF were killed instantaneously when this explosive, which was thought to have been put by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), exploded as the vehicle passed.
The incident was reported by Tijjanima Umar, the CJTF chairman for the Gamboru Ngala district, which is close to the Cameroon border. He mentioned that when the unfortunate incident happened, the crew was traveling to Maiduguri, the state capital. Two other members suffered serious injuries and had to be rushed to the hospital right away.
The CJTF was first created in 2013 to defend communities in the northeast and support the armed forces in their fight against Boko Haram and its later offshoot organization, ISWAP. The group has gradually broadened the scope of its operations to encompass other northern states facing armed abduction gangs.
Meanwhile, a second horrific attack occurred in the northwest state of Sokoto. According to reports, gunmen ambushed and killed fourteen members of the CJTF in the Isa local government region, as reported by Ismail Haruna, a task force sector commandant. The members of the CJTF had just finished raiding a bush camp that was being used by a well-known armed kidnapping gang boss. Regretfully, the gang assaulted the CJTF troops as they were returning to Sokoto, the state capital, after they destroyed the camp. The gang had rapidly regrouped. Several members are still listed as missing as a result of this action.
These killings highlight the continued security issues in northern Nigeria, where extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to remain a serious danger and carry out deadly attacks on both military personnel and civilians, despite significant efforts by security authorities. The continued existence of these groups complicates attempts to establish long-term peace and stability, highlighting the unstable and complex security situation in the area.
