Fresh violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency has again shaken parts of northern Borno, after armed fighters attacked charcoal traders operating deep inside a forested area of Guzamala Local Government Area.
The incident occurred late on January 31 in the Gassarwa bush, where a group of young men had gone out at night to burn firewood for charcoal production, a common livelihood in the area.
According to local accounts, the assailants opened fire on the traders without warning, killing four men on the spot and causing panic among others who tried to flee the scene.
A leader of the charcoal traders’ association in Monguno, Babagana Mallam, confirmed on Monday that the deceased were members of the union who had gone to the bush from Abbari Ward earlier that evening.
“Those killed were hardworking men trying to earn a living. They were not armed and posed no threat to anyone,” he said, describing the attack as brutal and unprovoked.
Two other traders reportedly survived the assault with gunshot wounds.
They were rushed to the General Hospital in Monguno, where medical personnel confirmed the deaths and commenced treatment on the injured survivors.
Hospital sources said the injured men were responding to care, adding that their conditions had been stabilised as of Saturday morning.
In addition to the fatalities, four traders from Kuya Ward in Monguno were abducted during the raid and taken away by the attackers to an unknown location, raising fears over their safety.
Security forces, including troops under Operation HADIN KAI, alongside police tactical units, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, hunters and local vigilantes, later moved to the area to assess the situation.
“The bodies were released to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, while efforts have intensified to locate those taken away,” a security source said.
Meanwhile, search-and-rescue operations are ongoing in the surrounding bushes, as authorities work to track the kidnappers and secure the release of the abducted traders amid renewed concerns over rural insecurity in Borno State.