No fewer than 10 local hunters were killed on Sunday in a gun battle with Boko Haram insurgents in Kopire village, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The slain hunters formed part of a 40-man volunteer group drawn from Borno and Adamawa State. They had mobilised in response to reports that insurgents were regrouping for fresh attacks.
Kopire borders Borno State, a long-time epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Chairman of the Hunters and Vigilantes Association of Nigeria (North East chapter), Shawulu Yohanna, confirmed the fatalities and expressed deep frustration over what he described as federal inaction despite state-level efforts.
“We have since recovered their dead bodies,” Yohanna told reporters. “Three of the deceased are from Hawul, one from Biu and others from Garkida in Adamawa. Unfortunately, my men ran out of ammunition during the encounter which lasted for several hours, giving the terrorists the upper hand.”
He added that one hunter who sustained serious injuries is currently receiving treatment and responding well.
Yohanna warned of growing signs that Boko Haram fighters are better armed and increasingly emboldened, particularly in the Southern Borno Senatorial District and other flashpoints in Yobe and Adamawa States.
“We’ve received credible information about a red helicopter that allegedly ferries these terrorists to undisclosed locations. If the federal government equips us with sophisticated weapons, we will eliminate these terrorists in no distant time,” he said.
Senator Ali Ndume, who represents the Borno South Senatorial District, mourned the fallen hunters and called for urgent federal intervention.
“The federal government must wake up from slumber and provide troops and volunteers with TEAAM — technology, equipment, arms, ammunition and motivation. We cannot continue with these daily killings,” Ndume said.
Only a day earlier, 14 mourners were killed in nearby Chibok when armed insurgents attacked a funeral gathering, further highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the region.
Despite the sustained efforts of Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who has been commended for his commitment to community security, Yohanna fears the resurgence may soon overwhelm local defences without significant federal backing.
