Tension as Boko Haram Terrorists Kidnap Pastor’s Wife, 3 Children
- Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists stopped a commercial vehicle near Kareto village and forced a pastor's wife and her three children off the bus
- The family, targeted because of their religious identity, were travelling to Damasak, where Pastor Moses Guguma leads a COCIN Church
- The abducted woman had been discharged from a Maiduguri hospital only days before the attack and was still recovering
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Borno State - Suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents have kidnapped the wife of a Christian clergyman and her three children in Borno State.
The victims were kidnapped along the Maiduguri-Damasak road in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.
Source: Original
As reported by Daily Trust, community sources said the abduction occurred around midday on Saturday, July 18, 2026, near Kareto village.
The family was on board a commercial vehicle travelling to Damasak, a town roughly 156 kilometres north of Maiduguri in the Northern Borno Senatorial District, where the husband, Pastor Moses Guguma, serves as head of a Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) congregation.
A source with knowledge of the incident, who asked not to be named, said the gunmen intercepted the vehicle, singled out the pastor's wife and her three children, and ordered them to alight.
The remaining passengers were allowed to continue their journey before the insurgents retreated into the bush with the captives.
Pastor's family targeted over religious identity
According to Vanguard, a separate source close to the Guguma family said the victims were deliberately picked out because of their faith. The identity of the pastor's wife has been withheld.
“The terrorists stopped the commercial vehicle close to Kareto village and asked the pastor’s wife, along with her 3 children, to disembark from the vehicle, leaving other passengers and the driver.
“The wife of the clergyman, whose identity is being withheld, was recently discharged from the hospital in Maiduguri after a prolonged ailment.”
It was gathered that the woman had only recently been discharged from a hospital in Maiduguri, where she had been receiving medical treatment, and was still in recovery at the time of the abduction.
"As of now, we are holding a special prayer to God for the safe return of the victims."
No ransom demand yet
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the four victims remain unknown.
Security forces had not issued any public statement on the incident, and no communication from the abductors regarding demands had been received.
Damasak has long been a flashpoint for insurgent activity in the Lake Chad Basin region and has seen repeated attacks and occupations by Boko Haram and its ISWAP splinter group in recent years.
Source: UGC
Boko Haram terrorists kill 8 in fresh attack.
Recall that Boko Haram terrorists attacked a military base in Borno State, resulting in eight casualties, including soldiers and CJTF members.
Five soldiers and three Civilian Joint Task Force members lost their lives during the harrowing overnight assault.
Operation HADIN KAI commends the bravery of fallen troops amidst challenging weather conditions during the attack.
Bandits gun down another Chief Imam
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that a chief imam and at least two others were reportedly murdered by bandits in Sokoto state on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
Nigeria's insecurity crisis continues to worsen, with armed groups targeting several vulnerable communities.
The northwest zone of Nigeria, where Sokoto is located, has seen violent attacks, including raids on schools, in recent years, with some of the assaults blamed on armed groups.
Source: Legit.ng
