Gunmen kidnap pastor’s wife, three children in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor and her three children in Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.

The victims, whose identities have not yet been disclosed, were reportedly travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak on Saturday when the attackers intercepted their vehicle near Kareto village and forced them to disembark.

According to a community source, the incident occurred around midday. The assailants singled out the woman—identified as the wife of the pastor in charge of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Moses G. Guguma—and her children, leaving other passengers and the driver unharmed.

“The terrorists stopped the commercial vehicle close to Kareto village and asked the pastor’s wife and her three children to come down, leaving the other passengers,” the source said.

It was further gathered that the woman had recently been discharged from a hospital in Maiduguri after a prolonged illness before embarking on the journey.

As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the victims remain unknown.

A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, appealed for prayers and support for the family, suggesting that the victims may have been specifically targeted.

Damasak, located in Borno North Senatorial District, lies about 156 kilometres from Maiduguri and has experienced repeated attacks by insurgent groups in recent years.

Security agencies had yet to release an official statement on the incident as of press time.