SWAP Militants Kill Seven Local Security Personnel in Borno State
Gunmen suspected to be members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) have killed seven people, including Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) operatives, local hunters, and community watch members, in the Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.
The terrorist group in a graphic video showed the execution of the victims, who were captured during a recent attack.
In the disturbing footage, a masked ISWAP fighter is seen interrogating the captives individually, accusing them of hypocrisy and collaboration with what he termed “infidels.”
The victims, clad in red jumpsuits, were shown kneeling as heavily armed militants stood behind them.
However, the video ends with the brutal execution of all seven captives, their throats slit with knives before their bodies were thrown into a shallow ditch.
The CJTF and hunters, who often support Nigerian military operations against insurgents, have frequently been targeted by ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters in Borno and surrounding areas.
Daily Trust reports that a senior official of the Magumeri Local Government Council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, identified four of the victims as members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (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.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time ISWAP has executed captives on camera.
In July 2022, the group released a similar video showing the execution of five aid workers—identified as staff of Action Against Hunger, the International Rescue Committee, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Between January 2024 and July 2025, dozens of members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters, and vigilantes have been killed while defending their communities across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
ISWAP and Boko Haram have intensified attacks on local security operatives through ambushes and house-to-house raids.
In January 2023, CJTF chairman Babashehu Abdulganiu disclosed that 1,773 of its members were killed between 2012 and 2022 in the ongoing fight against the insurgents.
Many of these casualties occurred during bomb attacks or direct confrontations, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa Forest.
The insurgents in Yobe State have stepped up targeted killings of CJTF members and other security agents. In towns like Gujba, Buni Yadi, and Kasaisa, terrorists now carry out door-to-door searches for vigilante members.
