- Takes over Nigerian border town of Kirawa
With Boko Haram insurgents and the splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), upping their attacks against civilian targets and security forces, over 5,000 people have fled Borno State into neighbouring Cameroon
This is as the terrorist groups seized the Nigerian border town of Kirawa in Borno state with many residents and community leaders left utterly stranded.
Reports indicated that the latest invasion occured late Thursday, forcing the District Head, Abdulrahman Abubakar, to abandon his palace, which was burnt down along with a military barracks and dozens of homes across the community.
“I was left with no option but to flee to Cameroon,” Abubakar said on phone, adding that, “Residents boarded trucks to seek refuge across the border, while others ran to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.”
However, while claiming responsibility for the attack, Boko Haram released a video showing their fighters torching the Army barracks and as flames lit the night sky, they could be heard chanting, “Victory belongs to God”.
Some of the residents confirmed that Kirawa is now a ghost community due to repeated attacks from the terrorist groups.
A community member, Dauda Hassan, who escaped to Pulka, a neighbouring town where troops are stationed, said, “It is unfortunate that Boko Haram is now in complete control of our community.”
Hassan lamented that many of the people are traumatized by the continuous attacks coming from the terrorist groups.
Reports further indicated that Thursday’s attack is coming on the heels of a September 19 invasion of Banki, another border town, where Boko Haram fighters overran a military barracks to cart away military supplies after forcing the soldiers to flee and leave some of their weapons behind
Speaking on the unfortunate incident, Head of the Town’s development group, Yakubu Mabba Ali Kirawa, called for urgent military reinforcements to keep the people safe and secured from the incessant terrorist attacks.
He said poorly armed local vigilantes and residents are the only security presence within the affected communities after the multi-national Military Task Force withdrew from the area following an attack that happened in August 2025.
