Gunmen kill 7 civilian JTF, hunters in Borno

Members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have killed seven individuals, comprising hunters, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives, and community watch members, in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State. In a 6-minute, 41-second video obtained by Daily Trust, a masked ISWAP fighter is seen interrogating the captives one by one […]

Members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have killed seven individuals, comprising hunters, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives, and community watch members, in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.

In a 6-minute, 41-second video obtained by Daily Trust, a masked ISWAP fighter is seen interrogating the captives one by one before their execution.

The footage shows the victims, dressed in red jumpsuits, kneeling with armed fighters standing behind them, holding rifles and jackknives.

The group’s commander accused the captives of hypocrisy and of colluding with “infidels,” which he claimed justified their execution.

The video then graphically shows the militants using knives to slit the throats of all seven captives before dumping their bodies into a shallow ditch.

A senior official of Magumeri local government council, who requested anonymity, identified four of the victims as members of the CJTF and local hunters.

“We were aware they had been abducted and were hoping for a rescue. Unfortunately, we woke up to this horrific news. We pray Allah forgives them and grants strength to their families,” the official said.

This is not the first time ISWAP has executed captives on camera.

In July 2022, the group released a similar video in which five aid workers-identified as employees of Action Against Hunger, the International Rescue Committee, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)-were killed.

From January 2024 to July 2025, dozens of CJTF members, hunters, and vigilantes have died in the line of duty while defending their communities across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.

ISWAP and Boko Haram have targeted local security operatives through ambushes and house-to-house attacks.

In January 2023, the CJTF chairman, Babashehu Abdulganiu, revealed that 1,773 of its members had been killed between 2012 and 2022 in the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Many died in bomb attacks or direct combat, particularly during military operations in the Lake Chad and Sambisa Forest regions.

In Yobe State, insurgents have escalated targeted killings of CJTF members and security operatives. In towns such as Gujba, Buni Yadi, and Kasaisa, the terrorists now conduct door-to-door searches for vigilantes.