Wave of Attacks Aimed at Chibok
By Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James
(Makurdi) In a devastating attack, Islamist militants belonging to the notorious Boko Haram sect descended upon the Damzir community in Chibok County, Borno, Northeast Nigeria, leaving a trail of destruction and despair in their wake.
The brutal assault, on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at approximately 2 a.m., sent the community into chaos, with homes and buildings reduced to smoldering ruins while two persons were killed, and a woman shot.
Chibok holds a place in world memory due to a sensational kidnapping there in the early hours of April 15, 2014. On that day a group of 276 female students, chiefly Christian but including few Muslims between the ages of 16 and 18, were abducted by the same notorious Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram [meaning: Western learning forbidden]. The students were taken from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria and sold off. The incident caused an international uproar that drew the involvement of US First Lady Michelle Obama.
30 Houses, Church Burned
Yakubu Nkeki, a community leader, spoke to Truthnigeria exclusively about the incident, describing the devastation in heart-breaking detail.
“The attack was sudden and merciless,” he recounted.
“A large group of terrorists, estimated to be more than 100, stormed the Damzir community with an arsenal of AK-49 rifles and motorbikes,” he said.
“They came from the west of Chibok, firing indiscriminately into the air as they invaded our peaceful community of Damzir. The sound of gunfire and screams filled the air, striking fear into the hearts of our people, and so many of them fled into nearby bush and mountains,” Nkeki continued.
Nkeki, who also chairs the Association of Parents of Missing Chibok Girls, further described the destruction wrought by the terrorists.
“They burned down more than 30 houses, leaving many families without shelter or belongings. But that was not all—they also vandalized a church, destroying all the plastic chairs and set the sacred building ablaze. The once-peaceful community of Damzir was left in ruins, its people traumatized and displaced.”
Two Innocent Lives Lost in Brutal Attack On Christians
David Ibrahim, a 35-year-old farmer and resident of Chibok town, shared an account of the incident with TruthNigeria. According to him, two persons, brothers from the same family, lost their lives in the attack, while a woman was shot in her legs.
He further told TruthNigeria that the group came specifically with the intention of attacking and killing Christians only.
“The terrorists went from house to house, intimidating and coercing people to join their ranks,” Ibrahim recounted. “Many residents either refused to succumb to their demands or fled to the nearby mountains to escape the violence,” Ibrahim said.
The terrorists stormed a targeted residence where they encountered two brothers, Enock Pogu Pudza and Josiah Pogu Pudza, according to Ibrahim.
“When the brothers refused to succumb to the terrorists’ demands to join them, they were shot point-blank, in cold blood, killing both,” Ibrahim said.
The terrorists ransacked homes, making off with vital crops such as cassava, millet, beans, and rice, according to Ibrahim.
Ibrahim recounted the devastating scene: “The terrorists took everything they could, and then, in a cruel display of destruction, they gathered the remaining foodstuffs and burned them, leaving our community with nothing.”
Boko Haram Targeting Chibok in Multiple Attacks
Boko Haram has made several failed attacks on Chibok communities in the past 6 months, Ibrahim told TruthNigeria.
“On January 2, 2025, a community called Njiland was attacked by Boko Haram members; many houses were razed, and crops were stolen.
“They made similar attacks on other communities four times last year but were driven back by the Nigerian military, Ibrahim went on to say.
Pastor Maina Yahi of the EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa), also known as the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, which recently suffered a devastating attack by Boko Haram, has made a heartfelt and passionate appeal for support and solidarity.
“This attack is not an isolated incident, as just last week, on January 2, 2025, Boko Haram attacked the people of Njiland, burning down houses and properties. The people of Chibok are living in constant fear, and it is heart-breaking to see them being killed and displaced like animals.
“As I write this, many people from Njiland are being forced to flee their homes and seek safety in other areas, such as Mbalala, Chibok, and Askira. This is a clear indication of the dire situation on the ground, and it is imperative that the authorities take immediate action to protect the people of Chibok.
“I am calling on the executive Governor of Borno state, the senator representing Southern Borno, and the House of Representatives member for Chibok, Damboa, and Gwoza federal constituency to take urgent action to address the situation. The people of Chibok deserve to live in peace and safety, and it is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that they are protected from harm,” he concluded.
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James are conflict reporters for TruthNigeria.
