By Luka Binniyat & Izhi Bitrus Adamu
Yola, Nigeria—Boko Haram terrorists on Monday, October 20, 2025, abducted four people from Kwakwahu community in Madagali County, Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria, TruthNigeria has learned.
Among the abductees was a 25-year-old mentally unstable man, Yakubu Sunday, who was brutally stabbed multiple times and left for dead, according to a community leader who spoke to TruthNigeria on Wednesday.
“They crept into the community under the cover of darkness,” said a local Christian cleric from Kwakwahu, a farming community of about 3,000 people.
“We have suffered several attacks in the past and were still dealing with trauma from those incidents when this evil happened again,” he added, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
Another resident, Audu Bako, a teacher who fled the community to Yola the day after the abduction, said the attackers operated for nearly three hours without resistance before retreating to their mountainous hideouts.
“One of the victims, Yakubu Sunday, is mentally unstable. Because of his condition, he didn’t fully understand their commands, and they mistook his confusion for disobedience,” Bako said. “They beat him severely and stabbed him several times, leaving him for dead.”
Yakubu was later found unconscious and rushed to a hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
Community sources disclosed that a ransom of ₦3.1 million (about $2,107) has been raised for the release of the remaining three hostages as of press time.
Recent Boko Haram Activity in Madagali
In September, TruthNigeria reported a midnight attack in Wagga Mongono (also in Madagali County) where at least five villagers were killed. Read the report here.
That attack reportedly spurred local youths to begin organizing self-defense patrols in the area.
On October 17, 2025, some Boko Haram fighters were sighted near a military checkpoint close to Madagali town. Despite promptly alerting the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), witnesses said the troops were reluctant to pursue the terrorists.
A group of about ten volunteer guards, led by a young man (name withheld), launched a surprise counterattack, reportedly killing two of the insurgents while the rest fled into nearby bushes.
“Instead of commending the volunteers, the soldiers began harassing the youth leader, accusing him of acting without military authorization,” said a local source. “He has since fled Madagali for Yola over fears for his safety.”
Another resident lamented the lack of military protection: “The soldiers are not here to protect us; they’re only protecting themselves. They tell us to stay indoors from dusk to dawn—but that’s when Boko Haram attacks, kills, or kidnaps us almost every week.”
Why Insurgency Persists in Madagali
The Gulak and Madagali areas of Adamawa State were seized by Boko Haram in 2014 and later recaptured by the Nigerian Army in March 2015. Read more from the BBC.
Despite this, residents say deadly raids continue due to several factors:
The mountainous and bushy terrain provides a natural hideout for insurgents.
The poor condition of the federal road linking Adamawa and Borno through the Madagali axis allows the militants—often on motorcycles—to attack swiftly and retreat easily.
The presence of “repentant” ex-Boko Haram fighters resettled among civilians has heightened community tensions and insecurity.
A resident summed it up grimly, “We are living with fear every day. The government says Boko Haram has been defeated, but here in Madagali, they still rule the night.”
