Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed an Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN) pastor and four other residents during a deadly raid on Tarfa village in the Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State.
It was learnt that the attackers stormed the rural community at about 7pm on Thursday, riding on motorcycles, firing sporadically, and setting houses and shops ablaze, forcing residents to flee in panic.
Sources said the terrorists operated freely for over one hour without any visible resistance from security operatives, leaving much of the village razed and residents displaced.
Confirming the attack on Friday, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State chapter, Most Rev. John Bakeni, said five people were killed, including the EYN pastor serving the community.
“Truly, there was an attack yesterday evening in a village called Tarfa. I was informed that five people were killed, including the EYN pastor there. The entire village was burnt down,” Bakeni told journalists.
Eyewitnesses described the assault as devastating, saying the gunmen arrived in large numbers and unleashed terror on the helpless community.
“They came en masse and started burning houses and shops. People ran for their lives,” one resident said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another source identified one of the victims as Pastor Evangelist Musa Umoru and appealed to the government to urgently deploy security operatives to the area, warning that survivors remain under serious threat.
“We are under constant fear. Five people were killed, including Pastor Musa Umoru. As I speak, I have fled Tarfa. We need urgent government intervention,” the source said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said he was yet to receive details of the incident and promised to verify the report. He had not responded further as of press time.
Borno State has remained a flashpoint of insurgent violence, with repeated attacks on rural communities raising concerns over the safety of civilians and the effectiveness of security presence in remote areas.
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