By: Zagazola Makama
In a heartbreaking turn of events, two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed during a brutal ambush by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the deadly attack unfolded in the early hours of Friday, April 26, 2025, at about 5:30 a.m. along the Pulka-Kirawa Road — a route notorious for militant activity. The CJTF operatives, accompanied by local hunters, were on a routine patrol aimed at securing the volatile corridor when they were ambushed.
The terrorists, lying in wait, unleashed a hail of bullets on the unsuspecting patrol team. Two CJTF members — Abba Aja, 25, and Shetima Abbaye, 35 — sustained critical gunshot wounds during the assault. Despite frantic efforts to save them, both men succumbed to their injuries shortly after being rushed to the General Hospital in Gwoza. Medical personnel confirmed their deaths on arrival.
The fallen heroes were laid to rest the same day in accordance with Islamic rites, their sacrifice adding to the growing list of civilians who have paid the ultimate price in the fight against insurgency in the region.
The attack underscores the persistent threat posed by ISWAP militants, who continue to exploit remote and poorly secured routes to carry out their deadly operations, despite ongoing military offensives.
Security sources have since launched a search operation across the area to apprehend the attackers and prevent further incursions.
The deaths of Aja and Abbaye have cast a pall of grief over Gwoza, a community that has long borne the scars of insurgency but continues to stand resilient in the face of relentless terror.
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