Boko Haram Abducts Pastor’s Wife, Three Children in Borno

Boko Haram Abducts Pastor’s Wife, Three Children in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor and her three children along the Maiduguri-Damasak highway in Borno State, in an attack that community sources say specifically targeted the family because of their Christian faith.

The abduction occurred around noon on Saturday near Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area, approximately 156 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital. The victims, whose identities have been withheld, were travelling in a commercial vehicle to Damasak, where the head of the family, Pastor Moses Guguma, serves as the resident pastor of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN). Community sources told journalists that the attackers intercepted the commercial vehicle close to Kareto village and singled out the pastor’s wife and her three children, ordering them to disembark. The gunmen allowed the driver and the remaining passengers to continue their journey before retreating into the bush with the captives. According to a source close to the Guguma family, the victims were deliberately targeted because of their religious identity.

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The pastor’s wife, whose identity has been withheld, had reportedly only recently been discharged from a hospital in Maiduguri after a prolonged illness and was still recuperating at the time of the abduction. The source further disclosed that she had been receiving treatment for some time before being discharged, making the timing of the abduction particularly distressing for the family. “As of now, we are holding a special prayer to God for the safe return of the victims,” a family source said, expressing the community’s collective anxiety and hope for the family’s safe return.

As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the woman and her children remained unknown. Security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while there was also no indication that the abductors had made any contact or presented any demands. The lack of communication from the terrorists has left the family and the church community in a state of anxious waiting, uncertain about the fate of the captives.

Damasak, located in Borno North Senatorial District, has repeatedly witnessed attacks linked to insurgent groups and remains a frequent flashpoint for Boko Haram and ISWAP activities in the Lake Chad Basin region. The town has been a target of several attacks in recent years, with insurgents frequently launching assaults on military formations and civilian communities. The latest incident highlights the persistent security challenges along major roads in northern Borno, where insurgents have continued to target commuters despite ongoing military operations in the region. This abduction also underscores the vulnerability of religious leaders and their families who continue to serve in communities deeply affected by the insurgency. It is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Christian communities in northeast Nigeria, adding to the growing concerns about the safety of worshippers and religious institutions in the region.

Boko Haram Abducts Pastor’s Wife, Three Children in Borno State